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THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


THE  STORY  OF 
OLD  JAPAN 


JOSEPH  H.  LONGFORD 


LATE  H.M.’S  CONSUL  AT  NAGASAKI  ; PROFESSOR  OF  JAPANESE, 
KING’S  COLLEGE,  LONDON  J BARRISTER-AT-LAW,  MIDDLE  TEMPLE 


LONGMANS,  GREEN,  AND  CO. 

FOURTH  AVENUE  & 30th  STREET,  NEW  YORK 
1910 


Richard  Clay  & Sons,  Limited 

BREAD  STREET  HILL,  E.C.,  AND 


BUNGAY,  SUFFOLK. 


PREFACE 


The  writer,  in  this  book,  has  endeavoured  to  tell  the 
Story  of  Japan  from  the  creation  to  the  accession  of  the 
present  Emperor,  when  Old  Japan — the  Japan  of  feudal- 
ism and  seclusion — may  be  said  to  have  come  to  an  end 
and  a new  nation  to  have  been  born,  which  was  destined 
to  startle  the  world  by  a wondrous  display  of  military, 
legislative  and  industrial  progress. 

There  are  many  Histories  of  Japan  by  English  or 
American  writers,  and  in  the  works  of  Kaempfer, — 
translated  from  the  German — Dickson,  Adams,  Griffis 
and  Murray  abundant  material  will  be  found  by  those 
who  desire  to  form  more  than  a general  acquaintance 
with  the  subject.  Those  who  desire  to  extend  their 
inquiries  still  further,  to  acquire  an  esoteric  knowledge 
of  special  periods,  personages,  or  great  political  or 
economic  movements,  will  find  a storehouse  closely 
packed  with  golden  treasures  of  information  in  the 
Transactions  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Japan,  every 
volume  of  which  contains  able  monographs  by  scholarly 
experts  who  have  investigated  in  Japan  the  varied 
subjects  with  which  they  deal.  Above  all,  they  will  find 
the  beliefs,  held  by  the  Japanese  themselves,  faithfully 
mirrored  in  the  exact  translations  of  native  classics, 
which  have  been  made  by  Satow,  Aston,  and  Chamber- 
lain,  the  three  great  English  scholars,  whose  knowledge 
of  the  Japanese  language  and  literature  does  not  fall 
below  that  of  the  most  accomplished  Japanese  literati. 


VI 


PREFACE 


All  these  works,  whether  histories,  monographs  or  trans- 
lations, are  for  the  serious  student,  rather  than  for  the 
lay  reader,  who,  without  leisure  for  painstaking  studies, 
may  still  desire  to  possess  some  knowledge  of  the  inter- 
esting mythology  and  history  of  a country  that  is  now 
playing  so  great  a part  in  the  theatre  of  the  world,  that 
is  bound  to  our  own  by  close  political  and  commercial 
ties.  It  has  been  the  aim  of  the  present  writer  to  supply 
this  deficiency  and  to  provide  a narrative,  in  logical 
sequence,  of  all  the  great  periods  in  Japanese  history, 
written  in  a style  which  will  render  its  perusal  no  greater 
task  than  that  of  an  ordinary  novel,  to  tell,  in  fact,  “ The 
Story  ” of  Japan  throughout  the  long  ages  of  the  past, 
just  as  the  novelist  tells  the  story  of  his  own  heroes  and 
their  lives.  An  attempt  has  been  already  made  to  tell 
this  story  in  an  even  more  concise  manner  in  a series  of 
articles  in  the  Nineteenth  Century  and  After.  It  was  the 
interest  which,  the  writer  found,  was  aroused  by  these 
articles  among  his  own  associates  that  tempted  him  to 
use  the  wealth  of  material  that  was  at  his  disposal  and 
his  own  knowledge  to  extend  the  articles  into  the  present 
volume. 

Its  nature  has  left  little  scope  for  original  writing. 
The  story  of  the  Mythology  and  the  Dark  Ages  has  been 
taken  principally  from  Chamberlain’s  and  Aston’s 
exhaustive  translations  of  the  Kojiki  and  the  Nihongi, 
the  former  published  in  the  Transactions  of  the  Asiatic 
Society  of  Japan,  the  latter  in  those  of  the  Japan  Society 
of  London.  The  circumstances  of  the  latter  society  do 
not  render  its  transactions  so  valuable  a source  of 
original  information  as  are  those  of  the  former — except 
in  the  papers  contributed  by  its  Japanese  members,  by 
members  who  are  also  contributors  to  the  Asiatic  Society 
of  Japan,  and  in  those  dealing  with  the  arts  of  Japan, 
which  are  written  by  the  best  experts  in  England — but 
the  society  would  have  amply  justified  its  existence,  even 


PREFACE 


vii 

to  the  most  exacting  historical  or  sociological  critic,  had 
it  done  nothing  else  but  publish  Dr.  Aston’s  translation. 
The  story  of  the  Minamoto  and  Hojo  periods  has  been 
condensed  from  Satow’s  translations  of  fragments  of  the 
Nihon  Guaishi,  which  were  published  in  the  columns  of 
the  Japan  Mail  far  back  in  the  seventies  of  the  last 
century,  of  which  there  are  very  few  files  now  in  exist- 
ence, and  those  that  are  accessible  only  to  a very 
limited  number  of  investigators.  All  these  translations 
repeat  the  intense  minuteness  which  characterizes  the 
originals,  in  which  the  native  writers  may  almost  be 
said  to  have  revelled,  and  that  minuteness,  as  well  as  the 
multiplicity  of  Japanese  names  that  are  recorded  with 
not  much  greater  attempt  at  literary  grace  than  might 
be  found  in  an  auctioneer’s  catalogue,  renders  the  task 
of  extracting  the  pearls  of  legend  and  history  that  are 
hidden  beneath  their  unattractive  shells,  far  too  weari- 
some and  bewildering  to  be  undertaken  by  any  but 
earnest  and  laborious  students.  The  story  of  the  periods 
of  the  Ashikagas,  of  Nobunaga,  Hideyoshi  and  the 
early  Tokugawas,  of  Christianity  and  Foreign  Inter- 
course has  been  taken  principally  from  monographs  in 
the  Transactions  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Japan  : from 
the  History  of  the  Church  in  Japan,  the  record  of  the 
work  of  the  early  missionaries  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  published  in  London  in  the  year  1707,  of  which 
there  are  now  very  few  copies  in  existence  : from  the 
diaries  of  Cocks  and  Saris,  issued  by  the  Hakluyt 
Society  : from  Kaempfer’s  History  of  Japan  : and  from 
Satow’s  translation  of  the  Genji  Yume  Monogatari, 
“Story  of  the  Dream  of  Genji,”  which  was  published  in 
the  same  manner  and  at  the  same  period  as  his  trans- 
lations of  the  Nihon  Guaishi.  A full  list  of  all  the  works 
which  have  been  consulted  is  given  in  the  appendix. 

While  making  these  works  the  basic  material  of  the 
present  volume,  the  writer  has  also  largely  availed  him- 


PREFACE 


viii 

self  of  the  knowledge  and  experience  which  he  acquired 
during  thirty-three  years’  official  residence  in  Japan, 
dating  from  a time  antecedent  to  the  abolition  of 
feudalism,  with  all  its  outward  picturesqueness  and 
romance,  when  Old  Japan  was  not  yet  dead,  to  one  but 
little  prior  to  the  Russian  War,  when  New  Japan  was 
already  acknowledged  as  one  of  the  Great  Powers  of 
the  world.  During  those  years,  he  visited  or  resided 
in  every  part  of  the  Empire  from  the  Kurile  Islands  to 
Southern  Formosa — the  north-west  coast  of  the  Main 
Island  alone  excepted — always  studying  as  he  did  so  the 
national  and  voluminous  series  of  guides  to  the  cele- 
brated places  in  each  district — and  he  may  venture  to  say 
that  there  is  not  one  historic  spot  mentioned  in  the 
volume  on  which  his  feet  have  not  trod,  once  at  least  and 
in  some  cases  many  times.  He  has  examined  the  alleged 
site  of  every  battle-field;  drunk  from  the  spring  from 
which  Yamato  Dake  refreshed  himself  and  climbed  the 
mountain  on  which  he  met  his  death-chill ; rested  on  the 
“pillar  of  the  Island”  in  Awaji,  and  seen  the  notices 
that  still  existed  on  the  gateways  of  Desima,  when  he 
first  visited  Nagasaki,  forbidding  under  dire  penalties 
intercourse  with  the  imprisoned  Dutchmen.  He  was 
also  throughout  all  his  career  a constant  student  of 
Japanese  literature,  and  has  read,  more  or  less  com- 
pletely, several  of  the  most  popular  native  historical 
works  that  have  not  been  translated  into  English,  while 
he  has  also  studied  in  the  originals  both  the  Kojiki  and 
the  Nihon  Guaishi,  the  published  translations  of  which 
he  has  freely  used  in  this  volume.  He  has  thus  imbibed, 
in  some  degree,  the  spirit  of  the  originals  in  a way  that 
no  translation,  no  matter  how  scholarly  or  faithful, 
would  have  enabled  him  to  do.  His  hope  is  that  he  may 
now  succeed  in  furnishing  an  easy  medium  of  acquiring 
a knowledge  of  the  events  and  traditions  of  Japanese 
History  which,  if  not  exhaustive,  will  be  correct ; which 


PREFACE 


IX 


will  explain  the  motifs  of  many  of  the  greatest  works 
of  Japanese  pictorial  and  glyptic  art,  and  will  add  to  the 
pleasure  of  those,  whose  good  fortune  it  may  be  to  visit 
Japan,  in  the  same  way  that  an  elementary  knowledge 
of  English  History  adds  to  the  sightseer’s  enjoyment 
of  his  first  impressions  of  Westminster  Abbey  and  the 
Tower  of  London,  or  to  the  foreigner’s  appreciation  of 
Great  Britain  and  its  people;  above  all,  which  will  make 
English  readers  better  acquainted,  than  their  oppor- 
tunities have  hitherto  permitted  them  to  be,  with  the 
foundations  of  the  national  character  of  a great  people. 

The  Temple, 

June  25,  1910. 


CONTENTS 


CHAP.  PAGE 

I  THE  COUNTRY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE  ....  I 
II  MYTHOLOGY II 

III  THE  DARK  AGES 24 

IV  THE  DAWN  OF  HISTORY 5 1 

V NARA,  HEIAN  AND  THE  FUJIWARA  . . . -71 

VI  THE  RISE  OF  THE  TAIRA 8 1 

VII  YORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  . . . .102 

VIII  THE  HOJO  USURPERS 131 

IX  THE  ASHIKAGA  SHOGUNS 152 

X NOBUNAGA — THE  BUDDHIST  PERSECUTOR  . *165 

XI  HIDEYOSHI  AND  THE  UNIFICATION  OF  THE  EMPIRE  178 
XII  IYEYASU — FOUNDER  OF  THE  TOKUGAWA  SHOGUNATE  205 

XIII  CHRISTIANITY  TO  THE  FIRST  PERSECUTION  . . 227 

XIV  CHRISTIANITY  TO  THE  SECOND  PERSECUTION  . . 249 

XV  EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE  . . *275 

XVI  THE  TOKUGAWA  SHOGUNS 303 

XVII  THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  . . . 31I 

APPENDIX 

I CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST  OF  EMPERORS  . . . 35 1 

II  THE  DYNASTIES  OF  THE  SHOGUNS  ....  364 

III  LIST  OF  PROVINCES 368 

IV  THE  LAWS  OF  SHOTOKU  DAISHI  . . . -371 

V THE  LEGACY  OF  IYEYASU 375 

VI  LIST  OF  AUTHORITIES  CONSULTED  ....  400 

INDEX 403 

xi 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  COUNTRY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 

The  Empire  of  Japan — the  Land  of  the  Rising  Sun — 
occupies  on  the  east  coast  of  the  continent  of  Asia  a 
position  somewhat  analogous  to  that  of  Great  Britain 
on  the  west  coast  of  Europe.  It  consists  of  about  six 
hundred  inhabited  islands — the  whole  number  of  islands 
is  said  to  be  quite  three  thousand,  but  in  this  total  barren 
rocks  are  included — and  these  islands,  including 
Sakhalin  in  the  north  and  Formosa  in  the  south,  both 
very  recent  acquisitions,  form  the  arc  of  a circle  opening 
towards  the  continent  in  a long,  narrow  and  continuous 
chain  from  2i°  48'  to  50°  56'  North  latitude,  or,  to  take 
approximate  parallels  in  the  West,  from  about  the 
latitude  of  the  Cape  Verde  Islands  to  that  of  the  south 
of  England.  Their  total  area  is  about  equal  to  that  of 
the  German  Empire,  and  they  are  inhabited  by  a 
population  of  fifty-two  million  people.  Both  in  the 
extreme  north  and  in  the  south — excluding  the  two 
recent  acquisitions — the  islands  closely  approach  the 
continent.  The  most  northern  of  the  Kurile  Islands 
(called  by  the  Japanese  Chishima,  or  the  Myriad  Isles) 
is  but  a little  way  separated  from  the  peninsula  of 
Kamchatka  and  the  Island  of  Kiushiu,  the  most 
southern  of  the  principal  islands,  by  a not  much  greater 
distance  from  Korea. 

B 


2 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


The  four  principal  islands,  in  order  of  size,  are  known 
as  Hondo  or  Honshiu  (Main  land  or  Main  country), 
Hokkaido  (North  Sea  District — formerly  called  and  still 
marked  on  English  maps  Yezo),  Kiushiu  (Nine  Pro- 
vinces) and  Shikoku  (Four  Provinces).  The  main  island 
runs  from  north  to  south  for  a distance  of  about  590 
miles,  and  then,  bending  towards  the  west,  from  east 
to  west  for  about  540  miles,  its  total  length  being,  there- 
fore, 1,130  miles.  For  a great  part  of  its  length  its 
width  is  not  more  than  100  miles,  and,  at  its  greatest,  it 
nowhere  exceeds  200  miles.  Its  area  is  over  86,000 
square  miles.  North  of  the  main  island  is  Hokkaido 
(Yezo),  350  miles  in  length  by  280  in  width,  with  a 
total  area  somewhat  less  than  that  of  Ireland.  South  of 
the  western  extremity  of  the  main  island — separated  from 
it  by  the  narrow  Straits  of  Shimonoseki — is  Kiushiu,  so 
called  from  the  fact  that  until  the  redistribution  of 
territorial  districts  under  the  present  Emperor  it  was 
divided  into  nine  provinces,  200  miles  in  length  and 
varying  from  60  to  90  miles  in  width,  with  an  area  of 
nearly  14,000  square  miles.  The  last  of  the  principal 
islands  is  Shikoku — called  for  the  same  reason  as 
Kiushiu,  koku  and  shiu  being  synonymous  terms,  both 
of  which  are  derived  from  the  Chinese  and  both  alike 
signify  province — which  lies  between  the  north-east  of 
Kiushiu  and  the  south-east  extremity  of  the  main  island. 
Its  area  is  almost  exactly  half  that  of  Kiushiu,  and  it  is 
about  170  miles  in  length  by  about  95  miles  in  breadth 
at  its  widest  point.  Excluding  Sakhalin  and  Formosa, 
which  need  not  be  taken  into  consideration  for  the 
purposes  of  the  present  work,  there  are  five  other  fairly 
large  islands,  Sado,  Oki  and  Iki  on  the  west  coast, 
Tsushima  in  the  Straits  of  Korea,  midway  between 
Kiushiu  and  Korea,  and  Awaji,  between  Shikoku  and 
the  main  island.  All  these  islands,  exclusive  of  Hok- 
kaido, which,  down  to  a modern  period  in  Japanese 


THE  COUNTRY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


3 


history,  was  uncolonized,  almost  a terra  incognita,1 
constituted  the  eight  great  islands  of  Japan  which  are 
frequently  mentioned  in  Japanese  history. 

All  the  islands  are  mountainous  in  the  extreme, 
scarcely  less  so  than  Switzerland.  Except  in  the  east 
and  north  of  Honshiu,  there  are  no  great  plains.  The 
mountains  are  not  so  high  as  those  of  Switzerland,  none 
are  covered  with  eternal  snow,  but  they  are  everywhere, 
rising  steeply  from  the  seashore  and  sharply  alternating 
with  deep  valleys,  both  mountains  and  valleys  being 
thickly  wooded  with  evergreen  trees,  whose  varied  tints 
in  spring  and  autumn  convey  indescribable  charms  of 
softness  and  beauty  to  all  the  land.  No  country  in  the 
world  has  a greater  wealth  of  foliage,  none  more  beauti- 
ful flowering  trees,  in  none  are  the  hillsides  decked  with 
more  brilliant  wild  flowers  or  flowering  shrubs  that 
spring  spontaneously  from  the  turf,  and  all  combine  to 
make  the  landscapes,  varied  as  they  are  by  glimpses  of 
islet-studded  seas  of  azure  blue,  scenes  of  romantic 
beauty  that  are  at  once  the  joy  and  despair  of  the  artist. 
The  terror  of  nature  is  only  less  well  known  than  its 
loveliness.  Among  the  mountains  many  are  volcanoes, 
many  of  w’hich  are  still  in  the  full  career  of  their  active 
lives.  Earthquakes  are  frequent,  and  often  terribly 
destructive  both  to  life  and  property.  Tidal  waves  have 
created  devastation  on  the  coasts  at  what,  in  the  lifetime 
of  a nation,  are  not  very  distant  intervals,  and  the  seas 
around  the  southern  islands  are  among  the  roughest  in 
the  world,  and  are  swept  by  storms  of  which  those  who 
only  know  the  Western  seas  can  form  but  a faint  con- 
ception ; while  in  the  north  they  are  liable  to  fogs  of  a 
density  that  would  appal  a Newfoundland  fisherman. 

The  original  inhabitants  of  these  lovely  islands,  the 

1 It  will  be  only  once  even  incidentally  mentioned  in  our  story,  and 
that  will  be  in  connection  with  the  Jesuits  who  established  a mission 
there. 


B 2 


4 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


people  who  inhabited  them  before  the  dawn  of  history, 
are  now  represented  only  by  a few  thousand  souls 
scattered  through  the  northern  island,  who  constitute 
the  sole  surviving  remnants  of  a people  that  once  spread 
itself  over  the  whole  of  the  Japanese  archipelago.  The 
Ainu,  as  they  are  called,  probably  came  from  the  north 
of  Asia  by  way  of  Kamchatka  and  the  Kurile  Islands, 
and  gradually  made  their  way  southwards.  Traces  are 
also  found  of  another  race,  which  has  wholly  dis- 
appeared, that  lived  even  before  the  Ainu,  but  continued 
to  exist  during  their  occupation,  to  whom  the  name  of 
Cave  Dwellers  was  given  by  the  early  Japanese  his- 
torians, whose  dwellings  were  either  natural  caves  or 
pits  hollowed  in  the  earth  by  themselves.  The  Ainu  are 
still  a race  of  savages,  ignorant,  dirty  in  their  habits, 
drunken,  without  a written  language,  without  any  system 
of  religion  beyond  the  worship  of  nature;  without  even 
a primitive  art,  mere  hunters  and  fishers,  using  in  their 
hunting  and  fishing  the  same  rude  implements  that  their 
ancestors  used  two  thousand  years  ago.  They  possess 
the  savage  qualities  of  bravery,  honesty  and  faithfulness 
combined  with  the  abject  submission  and  deprecating 
timidity  which  are  characteristic  of  a conquered  people 
who  have  for  ages  been  in  the  grip  of  tyrannical  task- 
masters. Physically  they  are  strong,  though  of  low 
stature,  and  well  made ; and  the  men  are,  perhaps,  of  all 
human  animals  on  the  face  of  the  earth  those  whose 
bodies  are  the  most  covered  with  hair.  Not  only  have 
they,  without  exception,  long,  bushy  beards,  growing 
down  below  the  chest,  but  all  their  bodies  and  limbs  are 
covered  with  a coating  of  hair  that  is  neither  thin  nor 
scattered,  which  vividly  contrasts  with  the  smooth  and 
clean  faces  of  the  modern  Japanese.  This  physical 
quality  has  led  the  latter  to  associate  their  name  with 
inu — a dog — though  its  real  meaning  in  their  own 
language  is  “men.” 


THE  COUNTRY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


5 


Two  great  invasions  of  the  islands  of  Japan  occurred 
while  they  were  still  in  the  occupation  of  the  Ainu,  and 
it  is  from  the  colonists  who  settled  in  Japan  after  these 
invasions  that  the  present  race  of  Japanese  is  descended. 
Geographical  conditions  combine  with  history,  or  rather 
mythology,  to  invest  with  more  than  mere  plausibility 
the  commonly  accepted  beliefs  in  the  actual  occurrences 
of  these  migrations.  It  will  be  seen  from  the  subsequent 
chapters  in  this  book  that  the  earliest  so-called  historical 
records  relate  to  two  widely  separated  parts  of  the 
Empire — to  the  province  of  Izumo  on  the  south-west 
coast  of  the  main  island  directly  facing  Korea,  and  to  the 
province  of  Hiuga  on  the  east  coast  of  Kiushiu.  It  was 
in  these  provinces  that  the  first  invading  armies  of 
colonists  landed.  Izumo  is  not  the  nearest  point  to 
Korea,  but  it  is  still  near,  while  the  shores  of  Hiuga  are 
washed  by  the  Kuro  Siwo  (Black  Brine) — the  Gulf 
Stream  of  the  Pacific — which  flows  in  a steady  current, 
acquiring  greater  rapidity  as  it  passes  the  south  of  Japan, 
from  the  equator,  past  Formosa  and  the  Liukiu  Islands, 
until  it  strikes  the  south  of  Kiushiu.  Thence  it  passes 
along  the  whole  eastern  coast  of  Japan  as  far  as  a latitude 
somewhat  south  of  the  Bay  of  Sendai,  where  it  branches 
off  into  the  Pacific  towards  the  continent  of  America. 
The  first  immigrants  landed  in  Izumo,  having  come  by 
way  of  Korea  from  the  central  plateau  of  Siberia.  The 
second,  who  arrived  long  after  the  first,  came  from  a 
more  southern  part  of  the  continent  by  way  of  Formosa, 
whence,  with  the  help  of  the  Kuro  Siwo,  they  could 
easily  reach  Japan.  Some  authorities  have  endeavoured 
to  show  that  these  immigrants  were  of  Malay  origin, 
and  have  found  marked  similarities  in  both  the  physical 
and  mental  characteristics  of  the  modern  Malays  and 
Japanese  to  support  their  theories.  While,  however, 
they  undoubtedly  acquired  a strong  Malay  element  in 
their  southern  wanderings,  the  fact  that  when  the  two 


6 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


colonies  at  last  met  their  languages  and  customs  were 
so>  similar  that  no  difficulty  was  experienced  in  the 
amalgamation  of  the  two  shows  that  the  origin  of  the 
preponderating  elements  of  the  second  must  be  found 
in  the  same  race  as  that  of  the  first.  They  easily  united 
into  one  people,  and,  as  among  colonists  of  all  ages, 
women  have  always  been  in  a great  minority  to  men, 
as  it  is  only  the  chiefs  of  the  expedition  that  can  or  are 
permitted  to  bring  their  wives  with  them,  the  lower  ranks 
of  the  colonists  no  doubt  sought  wives  among  and 
largely  intermarried  with  the  Ainu,  however  much  they 
may  have  despised  the  latter  as  savage  barbarians. 

From  these  immigrants  the  modern  Japanese  are 
descended,  and  though  all  have  been  fused  into  one 
homogeneous  whole,  they  present  to  this  day  well- 
marked  physical  characteristics  which  recall  the  different 
sources  from  which  they  have  sprung.  The  higher 
classes,  who  are  of  the  pure  blood  of  the  original 
immigrants,  who  by  the  interdiction,  under  the  iron 
restrictions  of  a rigid  feudalism,  of  intermarriage  with 
their  countrymen  of  lower  degree  have  preserved  that 
blood  pure  and  unmixed,  are  characterized  by  taller 
stature  and  complexions  that  sometimes  rival  European 
fairness,  by  more  slender  waists,  longer  legs  and 
smaller  hands  and  feet  than  are  found  among  their 
inferiors;  by  oval  faces,  straight  or  aquiline  noses, 
oblique  eyes  set  in  deep  sockets,  with  long  eyelids  and 
high  and  narrow  foreheads;  by  small  mouths  with 
delicate  lips ; all  combining  to  present  us  with  the  intel- 
lectual, refined  and  aristocratic  types  that  are  invariably 
represented  in  Japanese  paintings.  All  these  character- 
istics are  less  pronounced  in  the  men  of  modern  days 
than  in  the  women.  The  lower  classes,  especially  the 
agricultural  and  labouring,  who  are  of  mixed  descent,  in 
some  instances  even  of  unmixed  Ainu  descent,  are 
marked  by  squat  figures,  with  legs  short  in  proportion 


THE  COUNTRY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE  7 

to  the  stature,  by  round,  flat  faces  in  which  the  eyes  are 
set  almost  on  a level  with  the  face,  with  noses  broad  at 
the  bases  and  upturning  so  as  to  expose  the  nostrils  and 
large,  coarse  mouths  and  heavy  lips.  All  classes  with- 
out distinction  have  the  yellow  skin  of  the  Mongolians, 
straight  and  coarse  black  hair,  without  a vestige  of  curl, 
and  prominent  cheek-bones. 

Whatever  their  physical  differences  are,  all  Japanese 
have  the  same  moral  qualities,  qualities  which  have 
marked  them  throughout  the  whole  period  of  their 
authentic  history,  which  have  only  been  modified  in  the 
present  day  by  their  contact  with  Western  civilization 
to  a degree  that  is  almost  imperceptible.  Punctilious 
courtesy,  which  never  fails  in  tact  or  politeness ; courage 
that  knows  no  more  fear  of  physical  pain  or  death  than 
did  that  of  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans ; the  strictest 
personal  cleanliness,  are  all  qualities  which  impress  even 
the  dullest  who  come  in  contact  with  them.  They  are 
impetuous  in  spirit.  They  have  great  powrers  of  endur- 
ance, whether  of  heat  or  cold  or  long,  protracted  physical 
effort.  They  are  unflaggingly  industrious,  but  their 
highest  essays,  mental  and  physical,  are  often  followed 
by  long  periods  of  mental  and  physical  apathy.  Truth, 
charity,  sobriety,  and  chastity  in  the  male,  are  not 
among  their  virtues.  Of  cruelty  they  are  scarcely  con- 
scious. To  children  and  household  pets  they  are 
infinitely  tender.  To  domestic  animals  used  for  the 
purposes  of  food  or  draught  they  are  equally,  though 
unconsciously,  brutal.  No  people  in  the  w7orld  are  such 
lovers  of  nature  in  its  softer  aspects.  Flowers, 
patriarchal  trees  of  majestic  grandeur,  smiling  land  or 
seascapes,  the  autumn  moon  reflected  on  a cloudless 
night  in  the  placid  waters  of  a lake  nestling  amid  pine- 
clad  hills;  trees  whose  branches  are  bending  beneath  a 
burthen  of  snow ; flocks  of  wild  geese  alighting  on  a 
desolate  shore;  all  these  are  not  only  the  subjects  of 


8 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


poets’  songs,  but  the  excuse  in  their  own  particular 
seasons  for  pleasure  parties  and  picnics  of  all  classes,  and 
are,  even  to  the  lowest  labouring  classes,  as  much  a 
source  of  enjoyment  as  the  final  tie  of  the  football  season 
is  to  the  Lancashire  or  Yorkshire  operative.  Japanese 
find  their  chief  source  of  pleasure  in  the  Linked  Kingdom 
in  the  luxurious  beauty  of  Killarney,  the  Clieveden 
reaches  of  the  Thames,  a snow  scene  in  Richmond  Park, 
a homeward  flight  of  noisy  rooks,  hawthorn  hedges  or 
may  trees,  or  laburnums  1 in  the  full  bloom  of  the  early 
summer.  All  these  appeal  strongly  to  their  senses  of 
aesthetic  beauty.  What  we  call  grand  or  impressive 
scenery  exercises  no  influence  on  them.  They  go  to  see 
the  rugged  hills  of  Scotland  and  its  gloomy  lakes  because 
they  are  told  to  do  so,  but  they  no  more  affect  their  sense 
of  beauty  than  does  the  Tay  bridge.  The  towering  cliffs 
of  Western  Ireland,  beaten  by  the  huge  Atlantic  rollers, 
might  be  a subject  of  awe,  but  not  of  joy  or  pleasure. 
The  masses  of  bedded  flowers  in  the  London  parks  seem 
to  them  only  vulgar  and  garish,  utterly  wanting  in  all 
the  most  striking  attributes  of  real  beauty. 

The  art  of  writing  was  not  introduced  into  Japan  until 
the  beginning  of  the  fifth  century  of  the  Christian  era. 
Prior  to  that  time,  oral  tradition  was  the  sole  medium 
of  preserving  history  and  legends,  and  yet  the  Japanese 
claim  that  their  authentic  national  history  begins  in  the 
year  660  b.c.,  and  they  place  the  same  degree  of  implicit 
faith,  not  only  in  their  early  history,  but  in  the  story  of 
creation,  thousands  of  years  prior  to  this  date,  in  all  the 
supernatural  events  that  followed  the  creation  and  in 
the  superhuman  personages  who  took  part  in  these 

1 The  present  writer  once  served  at  Hakodate.  His  predecessor, 
who  was  an  enthusiastic  gardener,  imported  and  planted,  in  the  Con- 
sulate grounds,  a large  number  of  laburnums,  which,  like  all  English 
plants  and  trees  in  that  northern  climate,  throve  and  flourished.  When 
they  were  in  full  bloom  many  hundreds  of  Japanese  of  all  classes  from 
all  round  used  daily  to  come  and  admire  them. 


THE  COUNTRY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


9 


events,  that  we  do  in  our  own  biblical  narrative.  Early 
in  the  eighth  century  of  the  Christian  era,  two  historical 
works  were  completed  after  more  than  thirty  years’ 
preparation.  The  art  of  writing  had  then  been  known 
for  nearly  three  hundred  years,  and  written  history  and 
legends  were  already  in  existence.  The  written  court 
records  had  been  regularly  kept  during  that  period.  No 
use  was  made  of  the  written  materials  that  were  available 
in  the  preparation  of  the  “Kojiki  ” (“Records  of  Ancient 
Matters  ”),  the  first  of  the  two  historical  works,  the 
contents  of  which  were  transcribed  from  the  dictation  of 
one  person,  whose  knowledge  and  powers  of  memory 
were  such  that  they  enabled  him  to  carry  in  his  own  mind 
the  whole  of  the  long  and,  in  many  parts,  minutely 
detailed  narrative.  The  “Nihongi”  (“Chronicles  of 
Japan  ”),  the  second  of  these  works,  completed  eight 
years  after  the  first,  was  compiled  from  all  the  written 
works  that  were  available  at  the  time,  though  the 
ultimate  source  of  its  contents  as  far  as  they  relate 
to  the  centuries  prior  to  the  introduction  of  writing 
was  also  only  oral  tradition.  The  “Nihongi”  is  of 
similar  scope,  but,  as  might  be  expected,  much  fuller 
than  the  “Kojiki,”  descending  in  many  places  into 
details  that  may  justly  be  criticized  as  meticulous  when 
mentioned  in  an  historical  work  of  national  dignity,  and 
assigning  precise  dates  not  only  to  great  events,  but  to 
some  of  the  smallest  that  can  occur  in  human  daily  life. 
It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  no  credence  whatever 
can  be  given  to  these  dates.  They  have  been  proved 
by  research  in  the  contemporaneous  records  of  China, 
whose  earlier  civilization  and  authentic  literature  invests 
its  history  with  a degree  of  reliability  to  which  that  of 
Japan  can  lay  no  rational  claim,  to  be  utterly  wrong 
where  they  relate  to  international  incidents  which 
occurred  after  the  art  of  writing  had  become  known  to 
the  Japanese.  Much  less  faith  can,  therefore,  be  given 


10 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


to  the  dates  of  events,  the  recollection  of  which  was  only 
preserved  through  centuries  in  the  memories  of  those 
who  heard  them  from  the  lips  of  their  fathers  and  told 
them  to  their  sons.  The  events  themselves,  once  the 
period  of  pure  mythology  is  passed,  though  often  dis- 
figured by  the  wildest  romance  and  fable,  may  be 
assumed,  without  any  excessive  exercise  of  credulity, 
to  have  had  some  original  foundation  of  reality  not  less 
positive  than  that  which  attaches  to  the  stories  of  the 
Trojan  War  or  the  founding  of  Rome.  The  “Kojiki” 
and  “Nihongi”  are  the  Bibles  of  Japan.  In  them  is 
described  the  foundation  upon  which  the  national 
religion  has  been  built,  and  their  contents  are  accepted 
by  the  Japanese  of  all  degrees  of  rank  and  intelligence 
with  implicit  and  unquestioning  faith ; with  a faith  that 
modern  scepticism  has  not  been  able  to  shake ; that  is 
still  the  basis  of  their  loyalty,  patriotism  and  pride;  with 
the  same  faith  as  that  with  which  the  majority  of 
Christians  cling  to  the  Bible  narratives  of  the  Creation 
and  the  Deluge.  The  “Nihongi”  carries  its  narrative  to 
a period  two  hundred  years  later  than  does  the  “Kojiki.” 
In  summarizing  the  contents  of  both,  it  will  be  con- 
venient to  divide  them  into  three  parts : the  purely 
mythological  treating  of  the  creation,  the  legends  of 
the  gods,  and  the  divine  descent  of  the  first  Emperor; 
the  dark  ages,  the  primitive  period  of  history  extending 
from  the  foundation  of  the  Empire  to  the  introduction  of 
the  first  elements  of  Chinese  civilization,  the  memory  of 
which  was  originally  preserved  by  oral  tradition,  which 
is  therefore  rather  legend  than  history;  and  ancient 
history,  that  of  the  period  from  the  introduction  of 
Chinese  civilization  to  the  founding  of  the  capital  at 
Nara,  which,  though  not  wholly  wanting  in  fabulous 
incidents,  may,  in  the  main,  be  taken  as  authentic. 


CHAPTER  II 


MYTHOLOGY 

“Of  old  Heaven  and  Earth  were  not  separated.  They 
formed  a chaotic  mass,  the  purer  and  transparent  part 
of  which  rose  up  and  formed  Heaven,  while  the  heavier 
and  opaque  settled  downwards  and  became  the  Earth. 
The  finer  element  easily  became  united,  but  the  con- 
solidation of  the  heavier  was  slow  and  difficult.  Heaven 
was  therefore  formed  first  and  the  Earth  afterwards. 
Between  Heaven  and  Earth  a thing  sprang  up  like  a 
reed  shoot  which  became  transformed  into  a God.” 1 
Four  other  Gods  followed,  all  spontaneously  created. 
These  five  Gods  are  called  the  “Heavenly  Deities,”  and 
all  died.  They  were  succeeded  by  seven  generations  of 
Gods  who  were  called  the  “Seven  Divine  Generations.” 
The  first  two  generations  were  like  the  “ Heavenly 
Deities,”  solitary  males;  the  last  five  each  consisted  of 
one  pair  of  brothers  and  sisters,  so  that  the  five  genera- 
tions included  ten  deities.  The  last  pair  were  Izanagi 
and  Izanami.  They  were  ordered  by  the  other  Deities 
to  “make,  consolidate  and  give  birth  to  the  floating 
land.”  So  they  stood  on  the  floating  bridge  of  Heaven 
(Ama  no  Uki  Bashi),  and,  thrusting  down  the  jewel 
spear  of  Heaven  which  had  been  given  to  them  by  the 
Deities,  they  found  the  Ocean.  As  they  drew  back  the 
spear  “the  brine  which  dripped  down  from  its  end  was 
piled  up  and  became  an  island.  This  is  the  Island  of 
Onogoro,”  a name  which,  to  the  present  day,  is  given 

1 These  are  the  opening  words  of  the  “ Nihongi.” 


12 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


to  a hill  that  stands  on  the  Island  of  Awaji,  rising  from 
the  plains  as  an  island  from  the  sea.  Either  Awaji 
itself  or  some  of  the  islets  on  its  coast  is  the  Onogoro 
Island  that  was  the  first  part  of  Japan,  and  therefore  of 
the  whole  Earth,  to  be  created  by  the  Gods.  Having 
created  the  Island,  the  two  Deities  descended  and  dwelt 
in  it. 

“Accordingly  they  wished  to  become  husband  and  wife. 
So  they  made  Onogorojima  the  pillar  of  the  centre  of  the 
land.  Now  the  male  Deity  turning  to  the  left  and  the  female 
to  the  right,  they  went  round  the  pillar  of  the  land  separately. 
When  they  met  together  on  one  side,  the  female  Deity  spoke 
first  and  said  : ‘ How  delightful ! I have  met  with  a lovely 
youth.  ’ The  male  Deity  was  displeased,  and  said  : ‘ I am  a 
man,  and  by  right  should  have  spoken  first.  How  is  it  that, 
on  the  contrary,  thou,  a woman,  should  have  been  the  first 
to  speak?  This  was  unlucky.  Let  us  go  round  again.’ 
Upon  this  the  two  Deities  went  back  and,  having  met  anew, 
this  time  the  male  Deity  spoke  first  and  said  : ‘ How 
delightful  ! I have  met  a lovely  maiden.  ’ ” 

The  Deities  then  became  husband  and  wife,  having 
learned  what  love  is  from  two  wagtails  who  flew  to  the 
spot  where  they  were.  The  place  where  they  first 
descended  is  still  shown  in  Awaji,  and  near  it  is  a 
stone  still  called  the  “Wagtail  Stone,”  on  which  the 
wagtails  are  said  to  have  lighted.  In  memory  of  the 
incident,  a pair  of  wagtails  still  forms  part  of  the  table 
decoration  of  every  marriage  feast. 

From  the  marriage  of  the  two  Deities  sprang  the 
other  principal  islands  of  Japan.  Excluding  Yezo, 
which  was  geographically  unknown  when  the  Chronicles 
were  compiled,  they  were  eight  in  number.  Having 
produced  the  Islands,  they  said,  “Why  should  we  not 
produce  some  one  who  shall  be  lord  of  the  Universe?” 
So  they  produced  the  Sun  Goddess  and  the  Moon  God, 
both  so  radiantly  beautiful  that  they  were  straightway 
sent  up  to  Heaven,  the  Sun  Goddess  to  “rule  the  plain 


MYTHOLOGY 


13 


of  High  Heaven,”  and  the  Moon  God  to  be  her  consort 
and  to  rule  the  Dominion  of  Night.  They  next  pro- 
duced Hiru  Ko,  or  the  leech  child,  and  Susa-no-O,  the 
God  of  Storms.  The  former  could  not  stand  upright 
even  at  the  age  of  three  years,  “so  he  was  placed  in  the 
rock-camphor  wood  boat  and  abandoned  to  the  winds.” 
Susa-no-O  was  given  the  charge  of  ruling  the  Sea  plain. 
He  had  a fierce  temper  and  a cruel  disposition,  and,  in 
addition,  was  given  to  weeping  and  wailing. 

“The  fashion  of  his  weeping  was  such  as  to  wither  the 
green  mountains  and  to  dry  up  all  rivers  and  seas.  Many 
people  of  the  land  came  to  an  untimely  end  and  every  portent 
of  woe  arose.  So  his  parents  expelled  him  with  a divine 
expulsion  to  the  Nether  Land.” 

The  last  of  many  other  Deities  produced  by  them — 
the  total  number  of  all  was  thirty-five — was  the  God  of 
Fire,  in  giving  birth  to  whom  the  Goddess  was  so 
burnt  that  she  “divinely  retired”  (died).  Izanagi  be- 
wailed her  loss,  saying,  “Oh,  that  I should  have  given 
my  beloved  sister  in  exchange  for  a single  child.” 
Then  wishing  to  meet  her  once  more,  he  followed  her  to 
the  Land  of  Night,  and,  when  she  came  forth  to  the 
gate  to  meet  him,  he  prayed  her  to  return.  She  told 
him  not  to  look  upon  her  until  she  had  consulted  the 
Deity  of  Hades.  Orpheus-like,  in  his  impatience,  he 
violated  her  injunction,  and,  breaking  a tooth  from  his 
comb,  he  made  a torch  of  it  so  that  he  might  see  her. 
Putrefaction  had  already  seized  her,  and,  horrified  at  the 
sight,  he  fled  back  from  the  foul  place. 

Izanami  was  angry,  and  said,  “Why  didst  thou  not 
observe  that  which  I charged  thee  ? Now  I am  put  to 
shame.”  So  she  sent  the  “eight  ugly  females  of  the 
Land  of  Night”  to  pursue  him  and  slay  him. 

“As  he  fled,  he  took  his  black  head-dress  and  flung  it 
down.  It  became  changed  into  grapes,  which  the  ugly 


14 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


females  seeing,  took  and  ate.  When  they  had  finished  eat- 
ing they  again  pursued  him.  Then  he  flung  down  his  many- 
toothed comb,  which  forthwith  became  changed  into  bamboo 
shoots.  The  ugly  females  pulled  them  up  and  ate  them, 
and,  when  they  had  done  eating  them,  they  again  gave 
chase.  Afterwards  Izanami  came  to  herself  and  pursued 
him.  By  this  time  Izanagi  had  reached  the  even  pass  of 
Yomi  (the  land  of  darkness).” 

Then  he  took  a rock  large  enough  to  require  a 
thousand  men  to  move  it,  and  with  it  he  blocked  up  the 
pass,  and,  having  thus  barred  further  pursuit,  he  pro- 
nounced the  formula  of  divorce.  So  Izanami  became 
one  of  the  great  Deities  of  Hades,  while  Izanagi,  his 
task  of  begetting  both  the  Islands  of  Japan  and  the 
Gods  to  rule  over  them  being  accomplished,  ascended  to 
Heaven  and  dwelt  in  the  smaller  palace  of  the  Sun. 

Of  the  first  three  children  born  to  Izanagi,  only  the 
Sun  Goddess  and  Susa-no-O  continue  to  appear  in  the 
subsequent  legends.  The  Moon  God  is  no  more  heard 
of — a curious  fact,  seeing  that  there  is  no  object  in 
nature  that  is  more  frequently  glorified  by  poets,  or  that 
is  looked  upon  with  greater  admiration  by  even  the 
dullest  and  most  ignorant  country  clown.  The  Sun, 
the  ancestress  of  the  Japanese  nation,  the  divine 
Goddess,  is  rarely  appealed  to  by  poets,  the  stars  never, 
while  the  moon  is  constantly  called  upon  to  rejoice  in 
the  happiness  of  lovers  or  to  sympathize  with  the 
sorrows  of  the  unfortunate. 

After  his  expulsion,  Susa-no-O  appealed  for  permis- 
sion to  go  for  a short  time  to  the  Plain  of  the  High 
Heaven  to  meet  once  more  his  elder  sister  before  parting 
with  her  for  ever.  The  permission  was  given,  but  his 
visit  was  anything  but  a welcome  one  to  the  Sun 
Goddess.  She  knew  of  his  wickedness  and  violence; 
she  was  startled  and  changed  countenance  when  she 
heard  of  his  coming.  Her  fears  were  justified,  and  her 


MYTHOLOGY 


15 


brother’s  conduct  while  in  Heaven  was  more  than 
worthy  of  his  reputation.  In  the  spring,  when  the  rice 
seeds  were  sown,  he  broke  down  the  fences  of  her  fields ; 
and  in  the  autumn,  when  the  grain  was  ripe,  he  let  loose 
the  piebald  colts  of  Heaven  to  trample  it.  He  defiled 
the  hew  palace  in  w?hich  she  was  about  to  celebrate 
the  harvest  festival ; breaking  a hole  in  the  roof  of  the 
hall  in  which  she  was  seeing  to  the  weaving  of  the 
august  garments  of  the  Deities,  he  flung  into  it  a 
“heavenly  piebald  horse  which  he  had  flayed  with  a 
backward  flaying.”  Some  of  the  women  who  were 
weaving  died  of  fright,  and  the  Goddess  herself,  start- 
ing with  alarm,  was  injured  with  a shuttle.  Terrified 
and  indignant,  she  took  refuge  and  secluded  herself  in 
the  Rock  Cave  of  Heaven.  Eternal  night  prevailed 
both  in  Heaven  and  on  Earth,  and  everywhere  there 
were  portents  of  woe.  The  other  Deities  took  counsel 
together,  and,  on  the  advice  of  the  God  “Thought-Com- 
biner,” they  made  an  eight-hand  mirror,  a rosary  of 
five  hundred  jewels,  together  with  blue  and  white  offer- 
ings of  cloth,  and  hung  them  on  a sakaki  tree  of  five 
hundred  branches,  which  they  planted  before  the  Cave 
door.  Then  Ama  no  Uzume,  the  “Terrible  Goddess 
of  Heaven,”  performed  music  and  a dance  before  the 
door,  while  a laudatory  liturgy  was  recited  by  another 
God,  Ama  tsu  Koyane,  the  God  of  the  small  roof  in 
Heaven,  and  the  Sun  Goddess,  hearing  both  the  sound 
of  the  dance  and  of  the  merriment  of  the  onlooking 
Deities  who  were  laughing  at  it,  and  the  beautiful  lan- 
guage of  the  liturgy,  wondered  why  there  should  be 
such  happiness  in  Heaven  while  she  was  shut  in  the 
Cave,  and  from  within  the  Cave  she  asked  the  reason 
of  it.  Uzume  answered  and  said  that  they  rejoiced 
because  they  had  got  a Deity  more  beautiful  than  her- 
self. So  she  opened  the  door  slightly  and  peeped 
forth.  Then  the  mirror  was  shown  to  her,  upon  which 


16 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


she  gazed  with  astonishment  at  her  own  beautiful  reflec- 
tion, and,  as  she  did  so,  she  stepped  out  of  the  Cave, 
whereupon  one  of  the  Gods,  who  was  hiding  near,  took 
her  by  the  hand  and  led  her  out,  and  another  tied  a 
straw  rope  across  the  entrance  and  said  to  her,  “Thou 
must  not  go  back  further  than  this.”  Her  radiance 
once  more  filled  the  Universe,  and  all  the  Gods  were 
glad. 

Susa-no-O  was  for  his  misdeeds  finally  banished  from 
Heaven  and  descended  to  Earth  at  Izumo.  There  he 
rescued  a maiden  named  Mota  Hime  from  a serpent 
with  eight  heads  and  eight  tails,  who  had  already 
devoured  her  seven  sisters,  and  now  threatened  her  with 
the  same  fate. 

“The  serpent  had  eight  heads  and  eight  tails.  Its  eyes 
were  red  like  the  winter  cherry  and,  as  it  crawled,  it 
extended  over  eight  hills  and  eight  valleys.  Eight  tubs  of 
liquor  were  brewed  and  set  ready  for  it,  and  when  it  came, 
each  head  drank  from  one  tub  until  it  became  drunk  and  fell 
asleep.  Then  the  God  chopped  it  into  little  pieces,  but,  as 
he  cut  the  tail,  the  edge  of  his  sword  was  notched.  He 
therefore  split  open  the  tail  and  examined  it,  and  found  that 
there  was  a sword  within  it.  He  said  : ‘ This  is  a divine 
sword.  How  can  I presume  to  appropriate  it  to  myself?  ’ 
So  he  gave  it  to  the  Gods  of  Heaven.” 

This  is  the  two-handled  sword,  first  called  the  “cloud 
assembling  sword  of  Heaven,”  and  afterwards  “the 
grass  mower.”  It  is  made  of  steel,  double  edged, 
straight  in  shape,  a little  over  two  feet  long,  and  en- 
graved on  both  sides  with  figures  of  the  stars.  This 
sword,  with  the  mirror  by  which  the  Sun  Goddess  was 
enticed  from  her  Cave,  and  the  rosary  of  jewels — three 
crescent-shaped  agates,  one  red,  one  white  and  one  blue 
— which  was  hung  on  the  sakaki  tree  before  the  door  of 
the  Cave,  constitute  the  Imperial  Regalia  of  Japan.  The 
sword  is  still  preserved  at  the  temple  of  Atsuta,  a few 
miles  from  the  great  city  of  Nagoya  on  the  Tokaido ; 


MYTHOLOGY 


17 


the  mirror  at  the  shrines  of  Ise;  and  copies  of  the 
sword  and  mirror  and  the  original  rosary  in  the  Imperial 
palace  at  Tokio.  They  symbolize  courage,  knowledge 
and  mercy,  the  necessary  attributes  of  a great  sovereign, 
of  whose  divine  rights  the  Regalia  are  the  outward 
manifestation. 

The  rescued  maiden  became  Susa-no-O’s  wife,  but 
she  was  not  alone  in  that  position,  and  it  was  from 
another  wife  that,  in  the  eighth  generation,  a God 
called  Onamuji  descended.  The  latter  had  eighty 
brothers,  all  of  whom  wished  to  marry  the  Princess 
Inaba.  So  they  went  together  to  Inaba,  taking  with 
them  Onamuji  as  their  attendant,  and  forcing  him  to 
carry  the  bag.  On  their  way  they  came  across  a naked 
hare  which  was  lying  on  the  ground  weeping,  and  they 
told  it  to  bathe  in  the  sea  and  then  dry  itself  in  the 
wind.  But,  when  the  hare  had  done  so,  the  skin  of  its 
body  cracked  as  the  sea  water  dried  on  it,  so  that  its 
pain  was  worse  and  it  wept  more  than  ever.  Then 
Onamuji  came  after  his  brothers  had  all  passed,  and 
asked,  “Why  art  thou  weeping?”  And  the  hare 
replied — - 

“ I was  in  the  Island  of  Oki,  and  wished  to  cross  over  to 
this  land,  but  had  no  means  of  crossing  over.  For  this 
reason  I deceived  the  crocodiles  of  the  sea,  saying  : ‘ Let 
you  and  me  compete,  and  compute  the  numbers  of  our 
(respective)  tribes.  So  do  you  go  and  fetch  every  member 
of  your  tribe,  and  make  them  all  lie  in  a row  across  from 
this  island  to  Cape  Keta.  Then  I will  tread  on  them  and 
count  them  as  I run  across.  Hereby  we  shall  know  whether 
it  or  my  tribe  is  the  larger.’  Upon  my  speaking  thus,  they 
were  deceived  and  lay  down  in  a row,  and  I trod  on  them 
and  counted  them  as  I came  across,  and  was  just  about  to 
get  on  land  when  I said  : ‘ You  have  been  deceived  by  me.  ’ 
And  as  soon  as  I had  finished  speaking,  the  crocodile  who 
lay  the  last  of  all  seized  me  and  stripped  off  all  my  clothing. 
As  I was  weeping  and  lamenting  for  this  reason,  the  eighty 
Deities  who  went  by  before  (thee)  commanded  and  exhorted 
c 


18 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


me,  saying  : ‘ Bathe  in  the  salt  water,  and  lie  down  exposed 
to  the  sun  and  wind.  ’ So,  on  my  doing  as  they  had 
instructed  me,  my  whole  body  was  hurt.” 

Onamuji  told  the  hare  to  bathe  in  the  fresh  water  of 
the  river,  and  to  gather  and  spread  out  the  pollen  of 
the  sedges  and  roll  about  on  it.  When  it  had  done  so, 
its  body  became  whole  again,  and,  in  gratitude,  it  told 
Onamuji  that  he  and  not  his  brothers  should  wed  the 
Princess.  The  hare  was  the  White  Hare  of  Inaba, 
and  its  influence  caused  the  Princess  to  prefer  him  to 
his  brethren.  They  were  enraged,  and  made  several 
attempts  to  slay  him.  They  told  him  that  there  was 
a red  boar  upon  the  mountain  which  he  was  to  catch 
when  they  drove  it  down.  But  they  heated  red-hot  a 
great  rock  in  the  form  of  a boar  and  rolled  it  down,  and 
when  Onamuji,  who  was  waiting  at  the  base,  seized  it, 
he  was  burnt  and  died.  But  he  was  brought  back  to 
life  by  the  intervention  of  the  Gods.  Then  his  brethren 
enticed  him  to  the  mountains,  and,  having  cleft  and 
placed  a wedge  in  a large  tree,  they  made  him  stand 
in  the  cleft,  and  then  took  away  the  wedge,  so  that  he 
was  tortured  to  death.  Again  the  Gods  came  to  his 
rescue  and  restored  him.  Other  adventures  followed, 
but  in  the  end  he  triumphed  over  all  his  brethren  and 
slew  them,  and  then  established  himself  as  Okuninushi, 
or  Master  of  the  Great  Land,  fixing  his  home  at  Izumo. 
He  married  not  only  the  Princess  Inaba,  but  many 
others,  his  amorous  adventures  being  as  numerous  and  as 
varied  as  those  of  Jupiter.  Once,  when  he  was  on  the  sea 
coast,  a human  voice  was  heard  from  the  sea.  Nothing 
could  be  seen  at  first;  but,  after  a while,  a dwarf,  dressed 
in  the  feathers  of  a wren,  came  floating  in  upon  the 
tide.  Onamuji  took  him  up  and  held  him  in  the  palm 
of  his  hand.  Wondering  at  his  appearance,  he  sent  a 
messenger  to  report  the  matter  to  the  Gods  of  Heaven. 
Now  when  Taka-no-musubi,  one  of  the  Heavenly 


MYTHOLOGY 


19 


Deities,  heard  this,  he  said,  “The  children  whom  I have 
produced  number  in  all  one  thousand  and  five  hundred. 
Among  them  one  was  very  wicked,  and  would  not  yield 
compliance  to  my  instructions.  He  slipped  through 
my  fingers  and  fell.  This  must  be  that  child,  let  him 
be  loved  and  nurtured.”  The  dwarf  was  the  God,  Skuna 
Bikona,  a God  who  still  occupies  a prominent  place  in 
the  Shinto  pantheon,  and  who  is  specially  worshipped 
in  the  temple  of  Kanda  in  Tokio.  He  became  like  a 
brother  to  Onamuji,  and  the  two  were  associated  in 
developing  the  land,  in  completing  the  work  that  was 
begun  by  the  first  two  Deities  who  had  descended  to  the 
Earth,  but  which  had  to  be  left  unfinished  by  them 
owing  to  Izanami’s  untimely  death. 

Onamuji  was  lord  of  the  Great  Land,  but  in  it  there 
were  evil  Deities  who  “buzzed  like  flies,”  and  he  was 
unable  to  maintain  tranquillity,  and  the  land  was  pain- 
fully uproarious.  So  it  was  decided  in  the  Council  of 
the  Gods  that  met  in  the  bed  of  the  Tranquil  River  of 
Heaven  that  his  sovereignty  should  be  taken  from  him, 
and,  at  the  advice  of  the  God,  Thought-Combiner, 
whose  sagacity  had  been  previously  proved,  when  the 
Sun  Goddess  was  enticed  from  her  Cave,  given  to  Niniji, 
the  grandson  of  the  Sun  Goddess.  Ambassadors  were 
sent  from  Heaven  to  Earth  to  inform  Onamuji  of  this 
decision.  Two  were  unsuccessful.  The  first,  the  most 
heroic  God  of  Heaven,  at  once  fell  beneath  the  influence 
of  Onamuji,  and  during  three  years  brought  back  no 
report.  The  second  was  the  “Heavenly  Young  Prince,” 
who,  before  starting,  received  the  gifts  of  a heavenly 
deer-bow  and  feathered  arrows ; but  he  proved  a worse 
messenger  than  the  first.  The  first  was  only  negligent; 
the  second  became  an  active  traitor.  He  married  the 
daughter  of  Niniji,  and  plotted  to  obtain  the  land  for 
himself.  As  eight  years  passed  without  bringing  any 
report  from  him,  a pheasant  was  sent  to  spy  upon  him. 


20 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


It  perched  on  an  acacia  tree  in  front  of  his  door,  and  its 
cry  was,  “Why  hast  thou  for  eight  years  not  made  a 
report  on  thy  mission?”  The  Heavenly  Young  Prince 
being  told  that  a bird  of  evil  cry  was  on  the  tree,  killed 
it  with  one  of  the  feathered  arrows,  and  the  arrow 
having  passed  through  the  pheasant’s  breast,  flew 
straight  to  Heaven,  where  it  arrived  stained  with  blood, 
and  was  at  once  recognized.  It  was  flung  down  to 
Earth  again,  and,  as  it  fell,  it  hit  and  killed  the  young 
Prince,  and  the  sound  of  his  wife’s  weeping  that  was 
wafted  by  the  winds  to  Heaven  told  the  Gods  that  he 
was  dead.  Then  two  valiant  Gods  were  sent  as  a final 
embassy  : Take-mika-dzuchi  (the  Brave  Thunder)  and 
Futsu  Nushi  (the  Snapping  Master),  both  the  sons  of 
Izanagi,  born  from  the  blood  that  dripped  from  his 
sword  when  he  slew  the  Fire  God.  Both  the  Gods 
descended  to  Izumo,  and  there,  sticking  their  swords 
with  the  hilt  downward  in  the  earth,  they  sat  cross- 
legged  on  the  points  and  demanded  from  Onamuji  the 
surrender  of  his  sovereignty.  He  yielded  after  con- 
sultation with  his  sons.  The  eldest  was  called  back 
from  a fishing  expedition,  and,  when  told  what  had 
happened,  at  once  counselled  his  father  to  obey.  He 
then  stepped  on  the  side  of  his  boat  so  as  to  capsize  it, 
and,  with  clasped  hands,  vanished  into  the  sea.  The 
second  son  was  not  equally  submissive.  He  met  the 
two  Gods  in  anger,  and,  bearing  on  the  tips  of  his 
fingers  a rock  that  only  a thousand  men  could  lift,  he 
challenged  them  to  a trial  of  strength.  He  grasped 
Takedzuchi’s  hand,  but  it  turned  to  an  icicle,  so  that  he 
dropped  it  in  pain.  On  grasping  it  a second  time,  it 
became  a sword  blade,  so  that  he  again  dropped  it. 
Then  Takedzuchi  grasped  his  fn  return  and  crushed  it 
like  a young  reed.  So  he  fled,  and  when  Takedzuchi 
pursued  and  overtook  him,  to  save  his  life  he  submitted 
and  joined  with  his  father  in  his  surrender  to  the  com- 


MYTHOLOGY 


21 


mands  of  the  Heavenly  Deities.  So  the  two  Deities 
put  to  death  all  the  rebellious  and  malignant  Deities  of 
the  land,  and  having  subdued  and  pacified  it,  returned 
to  Heaven  to  report  that  the  way  was  clear  for  the 
descent  of  the  Heavenly  Grandchild. 

The  time  had  now  come  for  the  Heavenly  Grandchild 
to  take  charge  of  his  dominion  on  Earth.  Another 
messenger  was  sent  to  clear  the  way  for  him,  who  re- 
ported on  his  return  : “There  is  one  God  who  dwells  at 
the  eight  cross  roads  of  Heaven,  the  length  of  whose 
nose  is  seven  hands,  the  length  of  whose  back  is  seven 
fathoms,  from  whose  mouth  a light  shines,  whose  eye- 
balls are  like  a mirror  and  glow  like  the  winter  cherry.” 
This  was  Saruta  Hiko,  the  God  of  the  Cross  Ways. 
Uzume,  who  danced  before  the  Sun  Goddess  when  in 
her  Cave,  the  power  of  whose  looks  was  superior  to  that 
of  the  other  Gods,  who,  though  but  a delicate  woman, 
was  still  “ a Deity  who  conquered  in  facing  other  Gods,” 
was  sent  to  question  this  God,  and,  confronting  him 
with  her  breasts  bared,  she  demanded  why  he  dared  to 
obstruct  the  path  of  the  child  of  the  Sun  Goddess.  He 
answered  that  he  was  there  only  to  wait  upon  and  guide 
the  Heavenly  Grandchild  to  his  home  on  earth.  So 
the  Heavenly  Grandchild,  “leaving  the  Rock  seat  of 
Heaven,  and  pushing  asunder  the  eight-fold  spreading 
clouds  and  dividing  a road  with  a mighty  road 
dividing,”  descended  by  the  floating  bridge  of  Heaven, 
and,  guided  by  Saruta  Hiko,  arrived  not  in  Izumo  where 
Onamuji  had  lived,  and  where  it  might  naturally  be 
expected  he  would  have  made  his  first  landing  on  earth, 
but  at  Mount  Takachiho,  a peak  in  the  Kirishima  range 
of  mountains  on  the  borders  of  Hiuga,  a province  of  the 
Southern  Island  of  Kiushiu.  A large  retinue  of  attend- 
ant Gods  accompanied  him,  of  whom  only  one — Ama- 
tsu-Koyane — need  be  mentioned  who  is  claimed  as  the 
divine  ancestor  of  the  Fujiwara,  a family  which  has 


22 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


played  a great  part  in  Japanese  history,  whose  members 
are  now  the  highest  nobility  in  the  Empire.  Until  this 
time  Heaven  and  Earth  were  but  a little  distance  apart, 
and  between  the  two  there  had  been  frequent  communi- 
cation, but  now  the  floating  bridge  ceased  to  exist,  and 
the  two  became  widely  separated,  and  were  parted  for 
ever.  The  Sun  Goddess,  when  taking  leave  of  her 
Grandchild,  gave  him  the  Heavenly  Mirror,  saying, 
“My  child,  when  thou  lookest  upon  this  mirror,  let  it 
be  as  if  thou  wert  looking  on  me.  Let  it  be  with  thee  on 
thy  couch  and  in  thy  hall,  and  let  it  be  to  thee  a holy 
mirror.”  She  also  said,  “This  land  is  the  region  of 
which  my  descendants  shall  be  for  ever  the  lords.  Go, 
and  may  prosperity  attend  thy  dynasty,  and  may  it,  like 
Heaven  and  Earth,  endure  for  ever.”  Ama-tsu-Koyane 
was  instructed  by  her  to  attend  upon  the  mirror. 

Having  descended  on  Takachiho,  Niniji  built  a 
palace,  and  afterwards,  when  walking  by  the  seashore, 
he  saw  a beautiful  maiden,  “the  princess  who  causes 
the  flowers  and  the  trees  to  blossom.”  She  was  the 
daughter  of  the  God,  Great  Mountain  Possessor,  one  of 
the  many  children  of  the  first  creators  of  the  Earth, 
and  Niniji  proposed  to  marry  her.  She  had  an  elder 
sister,  the  Princess  Rock  Long,  and  the  father  offered 
both  sisters  as  wives  to  the  suitor  of  the  youngest.  The 
elder  sister  was,  however,  as  ugly  as  the  younger  was 
beautiful,  and  Niniji  would  have  naught  to  say  to  her. 
So  he  returned  her  to  her  father,  who,  together  with  the 
rejected  daughter,  was  covered  with  shame,  and,  in  his 
anger,  he  pronounced  the  curse  which  ever  afterwards 
caused  the  life  of  man  to  be  so  short. 

“ My  reason  for  respectfully  presenting  both  my  daughters 
was,  that  by  sending  Princess  Rock  Long,  the  children  of 
the  Heavenly  Grandchild  might,  though  the  snow  fall  and 
the  wind  blow,  live  eternally  unmovable  like  the  enduring 
rocks;  and,  again,  by  sending  the  Princess  who  causes  the 


MYTHOLOGY 


23 


flowers  to  bloom,  they  might  live  flourishingly  like  unto  the 
flowering  of  the  blossoms  of  the  trees.  Now  the  children 
shall  be  as  frail  as  the  flowers  of  the  trees.” 

Three  children  were  born  of  the  marriage.  Niniji 
doubted  their  paternity  on  what  seems  very  slender 
grounds,  but  his  suspicions  were  set  at  rest  when  both 
mother  and  children  came  safely  through  an  ordeal  of 
fire,  and  emerged  vigorous  and  uninjured.  The  last 
born  of  the  three  was  Prince  Hodemi,  Prince  Fire  sub- 
side, born  when  the  flames  of  the  ordeal  were  beginning 
to  grow  low.  He  married  the  Sea  God’s  daughter, 
Princess  Rich  Jewel.  Their  son  married  the  latter’s 
younger  sister,  his  aunt,  and  had  four  sons,  the 
youngest  of  whom  was  Jimmu  Tenno,  the  first  Emperor 
of  Japan,  fourth  in  the  direct  line  of  descent  from  the 
grandson  of  the  Sun  Goddess  who  descended  from 
Heaven  to  Earth. 


CHAPTER  III 


THE  DARK  AGES 

The  birth  of  Jimmu  closes  the  period  of  pure  legend- 
ary fable,  embodying  only  supernatural  myths,  and 
opens  a new  period  which,  though  it  continues  to  be 
tinged  for  more  than  a thousand  years  with  supernatural 
elements,  may  still  rest  on  a foundation  of  actual  history ; 
the  real  traditions  of  which  were  distorted  by  the  intro- 
duction of  the  miraculous  by  which  they  were  among  a 
savage  and  superstitious  people  verbally  passed  from 
father  to  son  prior  to  the  acquisition  of  the  art  of  writing. 
Jimmu  lived  at  the  base  of  the  Kirishima  Mountains 
until  he  was  forty-five  years  of  age.  Only  one  of  his 
brothers  then  survived.  One  had  gone  into  the  “Sea 
Plain,”  and  another,  “treading  on  the  crest  of  the  waves, 
had  crossed  the  ‘ Eternal  Land.’  ” The  eldest  remained 
with  Jimmu.  Both  were  dissatisfied  with  the  narrowness 
and  infertility  of  their  domain,  while,  beyond  it,  was  “a 
land  of  promise,  a land  fair  to  look  upon,  of  abundant 
fertility,  but  habited  by  tribal  savages,  every  tribe  of 
whom  had  its  own  independent  chief,  between  whom 
there  was  constant  warfare,  whose  customs  were  loath- 
some and  cruel.”  It  was  the  duty  of  the  brothers  to  com- 
plete the  task  of  civilizing  and  tranquillizing  the  whole 
land  which  had  been  begun  by  their  Heavenly  Ancestors, 
but  transmitted  to  them  in  an  unfinished  state.  They 
started  on  an  expedition  to  the  northern  coast  of  Kiushiu, 
where  they  embarked,  and,  thence,  sailing  along  the 
north  and  east  coasts  of  that  island,  entered  the  Inland 

24 


THE  DARK  AGES 


25 


Sea,  and  finally  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Yodo  River, 
on  which  the  great  commercial  city  of  Osaka  now  stands. 
Their  wanderings  had  extended  over  long  years.  Their 
victories  were  not  uninterrupted,  and  they  were  often  in 
sore  straits,  from  which  they  were  only  rescued  by  the 
divine  interposition  of  the  Sun  Goddess.  The  elder 
brother  died  from  a wound  received  in  one  battle  in 
which  they  were  defeated  and  forced  into  a general 
retreat.  They  had  been  advancing  against  the  Sun,  and, 
in  doing  so,  showing  a want  of  respect  to  the  Sun 
Goddess.  The  enemy  did  not  pursue  them  when  they 
turned  to  the  West  in  their  retreat,  and  they  were  able 
to  replenish  their  ships  and  their  stores  and  to  renew 
their  advance  from  another  quarter.  Passing  by  the 
Naruto  passage  between  Awaji  and  Shikoku,  the  violent 
currents  of  which  are  a dread  to  mariners  at  the  present 
day,  they  were  in  dire  difficulties  when  a man  met 
them  riding  over  the  sea  on  a tortoise’s  back.  He  con- 
sented to  act  as  their  pilot,  and  they  stretched  a pole  to 
him  and  drew  him  into  Jimmu’s  own  ship,  and  he 
brought  them  safely  through  the  passage.  Poisonous 
vapours  overcame  the  whole  army  after  their  landing, 
and  leader  and  followers  all  sank  helpless  on  the  ground; 
but  they  recovered  after  the  sword  of  Take-mika-dzuchi 
had  been  found  in  a storehouse,  its  existence  in  which 
place  had  been  manifested  to  one  of  them  in  a dream  in 
which  he  saw  and  heard  the  Sun  Goddess  and  Take- 
mika-dzuchi  conversing.  The  vapours  followed  the 
appearance  of  a great  bear  that  emerged  from  the  moun- 
tains, and  they  vanished  on  the  appearance  of  the  sword, 
but  no  explanation  is  given  as  to  the  connection  between 
the  vapours  on  the  one  side  and  the  bear  and  the  sword 
on  the  other.  The  sword  was  that  on  which  Take-mika- 
dzuchi  had  sat  in  his  interview  with  Onamuji,  and  it  was 
found  in  its  old  attitude,  the  hilt  in  the  earth  and  the 
point  upwards.  When  they  attempted  to  penetrate  into 


26 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


the  interior,  they  were  ignorant  of  where  to  go  through 
the  pathless  mountains  that  stood  in  their  way.  The 
Sun  Goddess  told  Jimmu  in  a dream  that  she  would  send 
the  “Eight  Hand  Crow”  to  guide  him.  It  came  flying 
down  from  Heaven  and  guided  them  safely  to  the  River 
Yoshino  and  the  province  of  Yamato.  There  “he  sub- 
dued and  pacified  the  savage  deities  and  extirpated  the 
unsubmissive  savages,”  and,  having  done  so,  he  fixed 
his  residence  at  Kashiwabara,  about  midway  between 
Nara  and  Osaka.  His  rule  was  now  undisputed.  It 
was  acknowledged  by  those  who  had  been  his  own 
followers  from  the  first,  by  his  kith  and  kin,  whether  as 
descendants  from  the  Gods  or  as  immigrants  from  the 
continent,  from  Izumo,  and  by  the  tamed  and  subdued 
aborigines  who  had  survived  the  slaughter  of  their 
kinsmen.  He  made  Kashiwabara  the  capital  of  the 
Empire  which  he  had  founded,  and  then  took  his  seat 
on  the  throne.  This  was  the  year  660  B.c.,  a date  not 
long  posterior  to  the  founding  of  Rome  by  Romulus, 
which  is  assumed  by  the  Japanese  believers  and  taken 
in  the  national  records  to  be  the  beginning  of  authentic 
chronology.  From  Jimmu,  the  present  Emperor  of 
Japan,  the  conqueror  of  China  and  Russia,  the  sove- 
reign of  a nation  which  has  acquired  all  the  highest 
elements  of  Western  science  and  civilization,  which 
produces  thinkers  and  inventors  who  have  shown  them- 
selves not  to  be  on  any  lower  intellectual  plane  than  the 
most  distinguished  scientists  of  Europe,  traces  his 
descent  in  a direct  line  extending  over  2,500  years.  It 
is  through  Jimmu  that  he  claims  his  heavenly  origin  and 
the  divinity  which  is  not  only  the  divinity  that  hedges 
other  kings  of  the  earth,  but  whose  essence  is  that  of  the 
Gods  who  rule  the  world.  The  title  by  which  he  is 
known  to  and  spoken  of  by  his  subjects  is  Tenno,  the 
Lord  of  Heaven,  or  Tenshi,  the  Son  of  Heaven,  who 
rules  the  world  as  God  incarnate.  He  is  not  only  the 


THE  DARK  AGES 


27 


ruler  of  his  people,  but  the  source  to  whose  inspiration 
and  guidance  everything  they  have  achieved,  whether 
in  war  or  in  peace,  is  due.  Throughout  all  the  long 
ages  his  ancestors  have  never  ceased  to  be  the  acknow- 
ledged fount  of  all  the  authority  of  the  Empire,  and  not 
even  the  boldest  and  most  tyrannical  usurper  has  ever 
dared  to  lay  sacrilegious  hands  on  the  throne,  however 
much  he  may  have  reduced  its  occupants  to  political 
impotency. 

The  Emperor  Jimmu  died  in  585  B.c.  at  the  age  of 
127  years.  The  official  list  of  the  Sovereigns  of  Japan, 
published  by  the  Government,  which  is  universally 
accepted  as  authentic  by  all  Japanese,  gives  the  names 
of  eleven  Emperors  who  succeeded  him  on  the  throne 
between  the  date  of  his  death  and  the  dawn  of  the 
Christian  Era.  Jimmu  had  left  to  them  an  empire  which 
included  all  that  part  of  Japan  which  lies  to  the  south 
of  a line  drawn  from  where  Kioto  now  is  to  the  province 
of  Izumo  on  the  west  coast.  South  of  this  line  their 
authority  was  recognized,  though  frequently  disputed 
either  by  surviving  aborigines  who  had  remained  in 
their  old  homes  instead  of  trekking  northwards  before 
the  advancing  Japanese,  or  even  by  Japanese  who 
settled  in  districts  remote  from  Yamato,  where  were  the 
throne  and  government  of  the  Emperors.  In  what  are 
now  called  the  Five  Home  Provinces— the  five  provinces 
(including  Yamato)  around  Kioto — peace  had  been  estab- 
lished, the  barbarian  aborigines  absorbed  or  driven  out 
by  Jimmu’s  followers,  who  in  their  turn,  under  the  direct 
control  and  eyes  of  the  Emperors,  were  their  obedient 
subjects,  whether  willingly  or  unwillingly.  All  the  main 
island  of  Japan  to  the  north  of  the  line  was  still  a 
terra  incognita  whose  wild  and  unknown  districts, 
covered  with  precipitous  and  thickly  wooded  mountains 
and  crossed  by  rapid  rivers,  were  still  peopled  by  savages 
who  not  only  refused  to  recognize  the  authority  of  the 


28 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Emperors,  but  were  prepared  to  resist  its  extension  to 
the  last,  and  to  sacrifice  their  lives  in  defence  of  the 
land  that  still  remained  to  them  against  further  advances 
of  the  Japanese  colonists.  The  position  of  the  latter 
under  the  early  Emperors  has  been  very  happily  com- 
pared by  Dr.  Griffis  to  that  of  the  early  settlers  in 
New  England,  and  the  history  of  Japan  for  fifteen 
centuries  very  closely  resembles  that  of  Northern 
America.  The  colonists  had  established  themselves 
securely  in  one  small  part  of  the  island.  Within  its 
limits  they  could  pursue  their  avocations  in  peace. 
Beyond  those  limits  their  kin  had  extensive  settlements 
in  the  south  and  west,  where,  however,  they  were 
always  obliged  to  be  on  guard  and  were  constantly 
exposed  to  outbreaks  on  the  part  of  the  original  pos- 
sessors of  the  land,  who  had  remained  around  them 
subdued,  but  with  rebellion  ever  in  their  hearts.  To  the 
north  all  was  unknown.  It  was  to  the  Japanese  Colo- 
nists what  the  wild  and  pathless  forests  of  the  West,  the 
haunts  of  savage  Indians,  were  to  the  first  American 
Colonists.  Just  as  the  white  man  gradually  drove  the 
Indians  further  and  further  westward,  just  as  the 
Indians  steadily  diminished  in  numbers,  organization 
and  spirit,  until  at  last  the  whole  continent  came  under 
the  irresistible  domination  of  the  conquerors,  and  only  a 
handful  of  the  Indians  were  left  in  a few  remote  and 
isolated  reservations,  survivors  of  the  people  who  had 
once  spread  over  the  whole  continent,  crushed  and  de- 
graded, all  their  virtues  of  courage  and  endurance  gone, 
so  it  was  in  Japan.  The  Ainu,  now  a spiritless,  abject 
and  degraded  people,  who,  unlike  some  at  least  of  the 
Red  Indians  of  America,  have  not  in  one  single  individ- 
ual instance  acquired  even  the  simplest  rudiments  of 
modern  civilization,  though  they  have  imbibed  many  of 
its  vices;  of  whom  only  a small  remnant  survives  in  the 
islands  of  the  extreme  north,  were  once  a bold  and 


THE  DARK  AGES 


29 


courageous  race  of  warriors,  who  fought  against  their 
invaders  to  the  last,  and  who  in  early  years  rendered 
the  lot  of  those  invaders  one  of  unbroken  disquiet.  The 
Indians  of  North  America  were  subdued  in  little  over  a 
century.  Fully  fifteen  centuries  were  destined  to  elapse 
before  the  Japanese  could  say  that  they  held  the  undis- 
puted masterdom  of  the  whole  of  their  Empire  as  far  as 
the  extreme  north  of  the  main  island,  before  the  last 
remnant  of  its  former  inhabitants  fled  to  what  was  even 
then  still  the  unexplored  and  unknown  island  of  Yezo. 

Jimmu’s  successors,  prior  to  the  Christian  Era,  were 
too  fully  occupied  in  governing  and  maintaining  their 
authority  in  their  hereditary  dominions  to  think  of 
extending  them,  and  all  their  military  strength  and 
energy  were  fully  tested  in  defending  their  northern 
frontier  against  the  incursions  of  the  aborigines,  who 
were  not  always  content  to  remain  merely  on  the  defen- 
sive. The  first  nine  of  them  have  left  no  marks  in 
history.  Neither  the  Kojiki  nor  the  Nihongi  tells  more 
of  them  than  their  births,  marriages,  deaths  and  places 
of  burial,  and  as  the  Nihongi  professes  to  furnish  exact 
details,  descending  even  to  precise  dates,  of  all  that 
happened  even  in  those  remote  ages,  it  may  be  assumed 
that  where  nothing  is  told  in  it,  there  was  nothing  to 
tell.  In  97  b.c.  the  Emperor  Sujin  (“the  Emperor  who 
honours  the  Gods  ”),  the  tenth  of  the  Imperial  line, 
ascended  the  throne  and  subsequently  reigned  for  sixty- 
seven  years,  dying  at  the  age  of  120  years.  He  has  left 
a reputation  as  a civil  reformer  not  less  distinguished 
than  that  of  Jimmu  as  a conqueror. 

In  the  early  years  of  his  reign  “more  than  half  of  the 
people  ” died  of  pestilence,  and  the  survivors  broke  into 
rebellion.  “Therefore,  rising  early  in  the  morning  and 
being  full  of  awe  until  the  evening,  the  Emperor  re- 
quested punishment  of  the  Gods  of  Heaven  and  Earth  ” 
for  his  own  shortcomings  in  his  failure  to  discharge 


30 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


adequately  the  duties  which  he  had  inherited  from  his 
divine  ancestors.  He  was  rewarded  by  a dream  in  which 
he  was  shown  the  true  way  of  serving  the  Gods,  who  had 
hitherto  been  worshipped  together  in  the  Palace  Hall. 
Separate  shrines  were  built  in  which  the  Emperor  wor- 
shipped them  in  turn  after  having  bathed  and  fasted. 
But  further  dreams  and  further  observances  were  still 
required  before  his  prayers  were  answered,  and  it  was 
only  when  land  and  houses  were  allotted  as  their  shrines, 
when  the  heavenly  were  honoured  separately  from  the 
earthly  deities,  that  the  pestilence  abated.  Throughout 
his  reign  Sujin  appears  to  have  united  in  himself  the 
offices  of  Emperor  and  of  High  Priest,  and  in  both  to 
have  merited  the  gratitude  of  his  people.  Never  since 
Jimmu  ascended  the  throne  were  the  Gods  so  assiduously 
served,  never  were  their  individual  idiosyncrasies  so 
carefully  or  so  readily  humoured;  never  were  the  sug- 
gestions of  dreams  or  the  promptings  that  came  from 
divine  inspirations  so  profoundly  studied,  or  when  a 
favourable  verdict  had  been  pronounced  on  them,  so 
faithfully  followed.  The  favour  of  the  Gods  was  won. 
The  Sovereign  governed  w-ith  wisdom,  mercy  and 
courage.  Pestilence  was  stayed.  Rebellion  was 
quickly  stifled.  The  country  had  peace,  “the  five  kinds 
of  grain  were  produced  and  the  peasantry  enjoyed  abun- 
dance.” The  education,  “which  the  example  of  a wise 
and  beneficent  Sovereign  gives  to  his  people  as  to  the 
prudent  ordering  of  their  own  lives,”  was  widespread. 
Taxes  were  equitably  levied  “on  the  arrow  notches  of 
the  men  and  on  the  finger-tips  of  the  women  ” — on  the 
products  of  the  chase  and  of  the  loom.  A census  was 
taken,  and  as  “agriculture  wTas  the  great  foundation  of 
the  Empire,”  a regular  supply  of  water  was  insured  to 
farmers  by  extensive  irrigation.  Shipping  is,  since  the 
coasting  voyage  of  Jimmu,  first  mentioned  in  the  Chron- 
icles. Shipbuilding  was,  on  the  Emperor’s  command, 


THE:DARK  AGES 


31 


begun  in  every  province,  and  the  people’s  sufferings 
from  the  difficulties  of  land  transport  relieved.  In  every 
way  the  Empire  advanced  in  all  the  results  of  civiliza- 
tion, and  the  Sovereign  received  the  title  of  the 
“Emperor,  the  August  Founder  of  the  Country.” 

The  succession  to  the  throne  was  regulated  by  the  will 
of  the  reigning  Emperor,  who  during  his  lifetime  nomin- 
ated the  Prince  Imperial,  and  the  latter  was  thence- 
forward recognized  as  the  Heir-Apparent,  and  a separate 
palace  was  provided  for  him.  Death  within  the  Imperial 
palace  rendered  it  inauspicious  for  the  occupation  of  the 
successor,  whose  own  palace  therefore  became  the 
Imperial  residence  on  his  accession.  This  is  the  explana- 
tion of  the  fact  that  the  palace  was  changed  simulta- 
neously with  a new  accession  to  the  throne,  a practice 
which  continued  throughout  the  early  centuries  of  Japan- 
ese history,  and  was  only  ended  when  the  capital  was 
established  at  Nara  early  in  the  eighth  century  of  the 
Christian  Era.  Wherever  the  Imperial  palace  was, 
there  was  also  the  capital  for  the  time  being.  The 
changes  were  more  apparent  than  real.  All  the  palaces 
were  within  the  province  of  Yamato  and  could  have 
been  little  distant  from  each  other,  and  as  their  con- 
struction was  of  primitive  simplicity  changes  were  an 
insignificant  burthen  on  the  Imperial  revenue. 

As  a rule  the  succession  was  from  father  to  son,  not 
necessarily  the  eldest  son  nor  the  son  of  the  Empress. 
In  each  reign  a Grand  Empress  is  mentioned,  the  wife 
of  the  Sovereign,  but  each  Emperor  in  addition  had 
many  concubines,  who  were  chosen  from  the  same  rank 
in  life  as  the  Empress,  in  some  cases  were  the  Empress’s 
own  sisters,  between  whom  and  the  legitimate  Empress 
there  was  so  little  distinction  that  the  Emperor  is  usually 
said  to  have  “wedded  them.”  One  Emperor  chose  as 
Grand  Empress  a lady  who  had  been  his  father’s  con- 
cubine, another  a lady  who  was  his  own  aunt ; and 


32 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


marriage  between  the  children  of  the  same  father  but  of 
different  mothers  was  not  infrequent.  In  the  succession 
no  distinction  was  made  between  the  children  of  the 
Empress  and  those  of  the  subordinate  ladies.  If  the  son 
of  one  of  the  latter  won  the  Emperor’s  favour  in  his 
lifetime,  the  title  and  dignity  of  Prince  Imperial  was 
conferred  on  him,  and  his  succession  to  the  throne 
naturally  followed,  though  it  was  occasionally  disputed 
by  an  ousted  brother. 

Sujin  had  twelve  children,  seven  of  whom  were 
daughters.  It  was  not  till  the  forty-eighth  year  of  his 
reign,  the  whole  duration  of  which  was  sixty-seven  years, 
that  he  nominated  the  Prince  Imperial.  Then  he  called 
to  him  his  two  best  beloved  sons,  both  of  them  so  alike 
in  his  affection  that  he  knew  not  which  to  choose.  So  he 
told  them  each  to  dream,  and  from  their  dreams  he  would 
form  an  augury.  The  elder,  the  son  of  the  Empress, 
dreamt  that  he  stood  on  a mountain-top  and  “turning 
towards  the  East  he  flourished  a spear  eight  times,  and 
eight  times  dealt  blows  with  a sword  ” : the  younger,  the 
son  of  a concubine,  that  he  stood  on  the  same  mountain 
and  “stretched  a cord  to  the  four  quarters  of  the  compass 
with  which  to  drive  away  the  sparrows  that  fed  upon 
the  grain.”  The  Emperor  interpreted  these  dreams 
that,  as  the  elder  had  turned  only  to  the  east,  he  should 
rule  over  only  the  land  in  the  east,  in  subordination  to 
the  Emperor,  but  that  as  the  younger  had  turned  to  all 
directions  he  should  succeed  to  the  Imperial  throne.  As 
the  Emperor  ordered,  so  it  was  done,  and  when  he  died 
the  younger  son  became  the  Emperor  Suinin.  The 
augury  which  guided  his  father’s  choice  proved  to  be  an 
auspicious  one.  The  new  Emperor  was  of  distinguished 
personality,  talented,  a lover  of  truth,  energetic  and 
brave.  During  his  reign  of  forty-one  years  he  continued 
to  give  his  patronage  both  to  agriculture,  as  his  father 
had  done,  and  to  extend  irrigation  so  that  there  were 


THE  DARK  AGES 


33 


peace  and  plenty  throughout  the  land,  nor  did  he  fall 
short  of  his  father’s  pious  care  in  the  conduct  of  religious 
observances. 

The  Imperial  regalia  of  Japan— the  mirror,  sword  and 
jewels  conferred  by  the  Sun  Goddess  on  her  grandson 
when  he  was  about  to  descend  to  Earth — were,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  Goddess’s  instructions,  preserved  in  the 
Great  Hall  of  the  Palace  in  close  proximity  to  the 
Emperor’s  own  chamber,  in  the  charge  of  a virgin 
daughter  of  the  Emperor,  until  the  reign  of  Sujin. 
Early  in  his  reign,  while  pestilence  and  rebellion  were 
still  rampant,  one  of  his  reforms,  made  at  the  height  of 
his  religious  fervour,  was  to  remove  the  mirror  and  the 
sword  for  greater  security  from  the  palace  to  a temple 
specially  built  for  them  at  Kasanui,  a village  of  Yamato, 
and  to  give  them  into  the  keeping  of  one  of  his 
daughters.  This  was  in  the  year  92  B.c.,  and  the  same 
Princess  held  them  in  her  charge  for  eighty-seven  years. 
Then  a successor  was  appointed  in  Yamato  Hime — the 
Princess  Yamato,  daughter  of  the  Emperor  Suinin.  She 
was  dissatisfied  with  their  location,  and  after  wandering 
far  and  near  in  search  of  a better  site,  she  came  to  Ise, 
and  pleased  with  it  herself,  and  instructed  by  the  Sun 
Goddess  that  “this  is  a pleasant  and  secluded  land  in 
which  I wish  to  dwell,”  she  built  a new  shrine  and 
placed  the  mirror  and  the  sword  in  it.  This  was  in  the 
year  4 B.c.  The  mirror  remains  there  to  this  day, 
deposited  in  a shrine  which  is  an  exact  replica  of  that 
first  erected  more  than  nineteen  hundred  years  ago  by 
Yamato  Hime,  preserving  all  the  primitive  simplicity 
of  construction  without  any  outward  adornment  of 
colour  or  carving,  either  in  wood  or  metal,  of  the  archi- 
tecture of  the  age  in  which  she  lived.  On  the  lapse 
of  every  period  of  twenty  years  since  then,  a new  build- 
ing has  been  erected,  in  which  every  detail  of  the 
original  has  been  faithfully  copied,  the  old  not  being 


34 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


demolished  till  the  new  is  completed,  and  the  pilgrims 
who  annually  flock  in  hundreds  of  thousands  to  the 
Mecca  of  Japan  now  see  there  the  exact  replica  of  the 
buildings  of  simple  wood  and  thatch  in  which  their 
Emperors  lived  and  worshipped  before  the  dawn  of  the 
Christian  Era. 

The  Emperor’s  piety  was  not  only  testified  by  observ- 
ance of  the  honour  due  to  the  Gods  and  by  regulating 
the  forms  of  their  worship.  It  manifested  itself  also  in 
the  clemency  which  he  showed  to  his  subjects.  Up  to 
his  reign  it  was  the  custom  on  the  death  of  a member 
of  the  Imperial  family  to  bury  alive  with  him  his  per- 
sonal attendants  and  horses — to  gird  his  grave,  as  the 
saying  was,  with  a living  hedge.  The  Emperor’s 
brother,  Yamato  Hiko,  died  in  the  year  2 b.c.,  and 
following  the  old  custom,  “his  attendants  were  assem- 
bled and  were  all  buried  alive,  upright,  in  the  precinct 
of  the  tomb.  For  several  days  they  died  not,  but 
wept  and  wailed  day  and  night.  At  last  they  died  and 
rotted.  Dogs  and  crows  gathered  and  ate  them.”  The 
Emperor  was  filled  with  pity,  and  ordered  his  officers 
to  devise  some  substitute  for  this  ancient  custom.  So 
when,  five  years  later,  the  Empress  died,  a hundred  men 
of  the  guild  of  clay  workers  were  called,  and  they  made 
clay  images  which  were  set  up  in  the  tomb  of  the 
Empress  in  the  place  of  her  living  attendants  whom  she 
had  loved,  who  otherwise  would  have  been  compelled 
to  follow  her  in  death.  The  Emperor,  greatly  pleased, 
conferred  handsome  rewards  on  the  officer  to  whom  he 
owed  the  suggestion,  and  decreed  that  clay  figures 
should  be  used  in  future,  that  men  were  not  to  be 
harmed.  Human  sacrifices  therefore  ceased  to  be  part 
of  the  Imperial  funeral  rites,  but  voluntary  suicide,  in 
order  that  a faithful  retainer  might  follow  his  master  in 
death,  was  a common  practice  for  many  centuries.  The 
Empress  Kotoku,  in  the  year  645,  in  a series  of 


THE  DARK  AGES 


35 


sumptuary  regulations  for  the  conduct  of  funerals,  fol- 
lowing a Chinese  precedent,  forbade  people  to  sacrifice 
or  mutilate  themselves,  or  even  to  sacrifice  at  the  graves 
of  their  chiefs  the  dead  men’s  horses.  But  not  even  an 
Imperial  edict  could  entirely  abolish  the  observance  of 
an  old  custom  founded  on  loyalty,  and  down  to  a very 
modern  period  in  Japanese  history  there  were  frequent 
incidents  in  which  one  or  more  of  the  feudal  retainers 
of  great  or  distinguished  lords  committed  hara-kiri  in 
order  that  they  might  accompany  their  lords  in  death. 

Two  other  incidents  in  the  Emperor’s  reign  may  be 
told,  as  both  are  the  subject  of  many  Japanese  paintings. 

One  of  the  Emperor’s  wives  was  the  Princess  Sawo. 
Her  elder  brother  plotted  to  secure  the  throne  for  him- 
self, and  to  that  end,  presuming  on  his  sister’s  love  for 
him,  he  induced  her  to  promise  to  murder  the  Emperor. 
He  gave  her  an  “eight  times  tempered”  dagger,  and 
told  her,  “Gird  on  this  dagger  in  thy  garments,  and 
when  the  Emperor  goes  to  sleep  do  thou  stab  him  in  the 
neck,  and  thus  kill  him.”  But  the  Empress  had  given 
the  promise  without  knowing  what  it  meant,  and  was 
troubled  in  heart,  not  knowing  what  to  do.  When  the 
Emperor  lay  asleep  at  noonday,  his  head  pillowed  on 
the  Empress’s  lap,  the  thought  came  to  her  that  it  was 
the  time  to  do  wrhat  her  brother  asked.  Thrice  she 
raised  the  dagger  meaning  to  strike,  but  her  heart  failed 
her,  and  she  could  only  weep.  This  is  the  moment  that 
has  been  chosen  by  artists.  Her  tears  falling  on  the 
Emperor’s  face  woke  him,  and  he  told  her  how  as  he 
slept  a dream  came  to  him  that  a snake  had  coiled  itself 
around  his  neck  and  that  a great  rain  had  wet  his  face. 
Then  she  confessed  everything.  The  Emperor  said, 
"This  is  not  thy  crime,”  and  forgave  her,  but  he  sent 
an  army  against  her  brother.  The  Empress  could  not 
bear  to  continue  in  the  Palace  after  she  had  brought  ruin 
to  her  brother,  so  she  fled  to  his  castle,  which  was 


36 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


besieged  by  the  Emperor’s  army;  there  her  child  was 
born,  and  the  Emperor,  in  pity  for  her  whom  he  had 
loved  for  three  years,  delayed  his  attack  and  called  upon 
those  within  to  send  out  the  Empress  and  her  child. 
But  they  would  not.  So  the  castle  was  set  on  fire,  and 
as  it  burned  the  Empress  came  forth  carrying  the  child 
with  her,  and  gave  it  to  the  soldiers  of  the  Emperor, 
saying — 

“The  reason  why  thy  handmaiden  at  first  fled  into  her 
elder  brother’s  castle  was  in  the  hope  that  her  elder  brother 
might  be  absolved  from  guilt  for  the  sake  of  her  and  her 
child.  But  now  he  has  not  been  absolved,  and  I know  that 
1 am  guilty.  Shall  I have  my  hands  tied  behind  my  back? 
There  is  nothing  left  but  for  me  to  strangle  myself.  But 
even  though  I,  thy  handmaiden,  die,  I cannot  bear  to  forget 
the  favour  shown  to  me  by  the  Emperor.  I pray,  therefore, 
that  the  Empress’s  palace,  which  I had  charge  of,  may  be 
granted  to  fair  mates  for  thee.  In  the  land  of  Tamba  there 
are  five  ladies,  all  of  virtuous  minds,  the  daughters  of  the 
prince.  Let  them  be  placed  in  the  side  courts  to  complete 
the  number  of  the  consort  chambers.” 

The  best  and  strongest  of  the  soldiers  had  been  in- 
structed by  the  Emperor’s  orders  to  save  both  mother 
and  child,  “whether  by  the  hair  or  by  the  hands,  or 
whatever  you  may  best  lay  hold  of,  clutch  her  and  drag 
her  out.”  But  she  had  shaved  her  hair  and  covered  her 
head  loosely  with  the  shaved-off  hair,  and  she  had  made 
the  jewel  strings  round  her  arms  and  her  clothes  rotten, 
and  all  came  away  in  the  soldiers’  hands  as  they  seized 
her.  So  she  escaped  back  into  the  castle  and  there  died 
with  her  brother. 

The  child  was  dumb,  and  at  the  age  of  thirty,  when 
his  beard  was  eight  span  long,  he  had  not  yet  learned 
to  speak.  Then  one  day  as  he  stood  by  the  Emperor  a 
swan  flew  by,  and  the  Prince  spoke  and  asked  “What 
thing  is  this  ? ” So  the  swan  was  followed  all  the  way  to 
Izumo,  where  it  was  caught,  and  when  it  was  brought 


THE  DARK  AGES 


37 


back  to  the  Prince  he  played  with  it  and  at  last  learned 
to  speak.  The  eldest  of  the  five  sisters  mentioned  by  the 
Empress  before  her  death  succeeded  her.  Three  of  her 
sisters  became  the  Emperor’s  concubines,  but  so  little 
attractive  were  the  physical  charms  of  the  fifth  that  she 
was  sent  back  to  her  own  country.  In  shame  she  threw 
herself  from  her  car  and  was  killed. 

Suinin  died  in  70  a.d.  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son 
Keiko,  born  to  him  of  the  eldest  of  the  five  sisters,  who, 
as  has  just  been  stated,  became  Empress.  Keiko  was 
a vigorous  and  courageous  sovereign.  He  took  com- 
mand of  his  own  armies  in  the  field,  and  in  a prolonged 
campaign,  throughout  Kiushiu,  conducted  in  person 
both  the  operations  against,  and  negotiations  with, 
rebels  in  arms  against  him,  and  finally  succeeded  in 
tranquillizing  the  whole  island.  His  chief  title  to  fame 
with  posterity  rests  on  his  son,  one  of  eighty  children, 
who  is  still  one  of  the  darling  heroes  of  Japan,  whose 
exploits  are  spoken  of  with  reverential  admiration  as 
those  of  a noble,  fearless  and  loyal  knight,  the  mirror 
of  national  chivalry,  the  favoured  soldier  of  the  Gods  of 
Heaven.  This  son  was  the  youngest  of  twins  born  to 
the  Empress,  and  in  childhood  was  known  as  the 
“Prince  of  the  Little  Mortar.”  His  stature  and  strength, 
while  still  a youth,  far  exceeded  that  of  ordinary  men, 
his  features  were  noble  and  his  spirit  high. 

He  soon  gave  evidence  of  his  fierceness  and  determina- 
tion. His  eldest  twin  brother  was  sent  by  his  father  to 
invite  to  the  Court  two  maiden  sisters,  descendants  of 
the  Emperor  Kaikwa,  who  were  said  to  be  beautiful 
beyond  the  common.  The  son  betrayed  his  trust,  and, 
wedding  both  the  maidens  himself,  falsely  gave  their 
names  to  others  whom  he  sent  to  his  father  in  their 
place.  But  the  father  knew  of  his  deception,  and  while 
he  frequently  looked  longingly  at  both  the  maidens  who 
were  sent  to  him  he  wedded  neither.  Then  the  elder 


38 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


brother  absented  himself  from  the  “morning  and  even- 
ing great  august  repasts.”  So  the  younger  was  told  to 
teach  him  his  duty.  Five  days  elapsed  and  still  the 
elder  came  not,  and  when  the  father  inquired  the  reason, 
the  younger  answered  that  he  had  “grasped  hold  of  him 
and  crushed  him,  and,  pulling  off  his  limbs,  wrapped 
them  in  a matting  and  flung  them  away.”  This  is  the 
first  recorded  incident  in  the  career  of  the  younger,  one 
that  commends  itself  to  Japanese  admiration  as  an 
unflinching  performance  of  filial  duty. 

In  the  far  away  land  of  Western  Kiushiu  the  Kumaso, 
the  people  who  were  as  savage  as  bears,  had  again 
rebelled,  and  under  the  leadership  of  two  brothers,  un- 
submissive and  disrespectful  men,  made  unceasing  in- 
cursions on  the  frontier.  Prince  Wousu,  though  only 
sixteen  years  of  age,  was  entrusted  with  the  task  of 
taking  and  slaying  them.  The  young  Prince  borrowed 
female  clothing  from  his  aunt,  Yamato  Hime,  the 
priestess  of  Ise ; then,  letting  down  his  hair  like  a young 
girl  and  hiding  a sword  within  his  dress,  he  mingled 
with  the  women  that  were  present  at  a banquet  given  by 
the  eldest  of  the  brigands.  His  beauty  soon  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  host,  by  whose  side  he  was  called  to 
sit,  of  whose  gallant  attentions  he  became  the  object 
before  all  the  other  women.  The  evening  wore  on,  the 
guests  dwindled  away,  and  the  host,  drunk  with  wine, 
was  more  pressing  in  his  gallantries.  Then  the  Prince 
drew  his  sword  and  stabbed  him.  As  he  died  he  asked 
the  Prince  his  name,  and  when  he  heard  it,  he  said, 
“ I have  met  with  many  valiant  men,  but  none  as  yet 
could  match  this  Prince.  Henceforward  let  him  be 
styled  Prince  Yamato  Dake.”  Yamato  Dake  means 
“The  brave  man  of  Yamato,”  and  it  was  by  this  name 
that  the  Prince  was  afterwards  known  throughout  his 
life  and  is  now  remembered  by  posterity.  Then  the 
Prince  slew  all  the  rest  of  the  band.  While  returning 


THE  DARK  AGES 


39 


from  Kiushiu  he  visited  the  land  of  Izumo,  where  there 
was  another  outlaw,  to  whom  “he  bound  himself  in 
friendship.”  One  day  the  two  went  to  bathe  in  the 
river,  the  Prince  wearing  a false  sword  which  he  had 
previously  made  from  wood.  Getting  out  of  the  river 
first,  he  took  the  outlaw’s  real  sword  himself,  and  the 
outlaw,  following  him  out  of  the  river,  took  the  false 
sword  of  wood.  Then  the  Prince  challenged  him  to  a 
fencing  bout,  and  the  outlaw  unable  to  draw  the  false 
sword  was  promptly  slain.  So  the  Prince,  having  slain 
all  the  brigands,  returned  to  the  Court  and  to  his  father, 
and  reported  what  he  had  done. 

The  west  and  south  were  now  tranquillized,  but  dis- 
order was  rampant  in  the  provinces  of  the  east,  where 
the  Yemishi — the  savage  aborigines— were  still  unsub- 
dued, and  not  only  defied  the  authority  of  the  Emperor 
in  their  own  wild  and  unknown  fastnesses,  but  kept  his 
frontier  in  a ferment  of  continual  disquiet.  They  were 
also  constantly  at  war  among  themselves.  There  was 
no  security  either  of  life  or  property  among  them.  The 
time  had  come  at  which  the  might  and  majesty  of  the 
Emperor  should  be  manifested  by  their  subjection,  and 
there  was  in  the  Empire  no  one  so  fitted  for  the  task  as 
the  Prince  who  had  signally  proved  his  mettle  and 
capacity  in  the  west  and  south.  He  readily  under- 
took to  carry  it  through,  and  having  received  the  Im- 
perial commands  he  started  on  his  expedition  into  the 
savage  and  unknown  land,  with,  however,  “lamentations 
and  tears”  at  the  thought  that  he  should  never  return. 

On  his  way  he  stopped  at  Ise,  where  he  sought  the 
prayers  of  his  aunt,  Yamato  Hime,  the  virgin  Priestess, 
on  his  behalf.  She  lent  him  the  sacred  sword — “the 
cloud  gathering” — and  also  bestowed  on  him  an  august 
bag,  saying,  “If  there  should  be  an  emergency  open 
the  mouth  of  the  bag.”  From  Ise  he  made  his  way  to 
Owari  and  Suruga,  and  “subdued  and  pacified  all  the 


40 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


savage  deities  and  unsubmissive  people  of  the  mountains 
and  the  rivers,”  and  at  last  he  reached  the  land  of 
Sagami.  There  the  savage  chiefs  tried  to  destroy  him 
by  treachery.  They  told  him  that  there  were  deer  in 
abundance  on  a certain  moor,  and  when  the  Prince 
entered  on  the  moor  to  hunt,  they  set  the  long  grass  on 
fire  in  order  that  he  might  be  destroyed.  The  emergency 
spoken  of  by  his  aunt  had  come,  so  he  opened  the  bag 
and,  finding  a fire-drill  in  its  mouth,  he  kindled  a new 
fire,  and  then,  mowing  the  grass  around  him  with  his 
sword  he  made  an  empty  space  on  the  moor  and  was 
saved.  So  the  name  of  the  sword  was  changed  to  that 
of  “ grass  mower  ” (Kusa-nagi).  The  treacherous  natives 
were  all  destroyed. 

Then  he  passed  by  sea,  across  the  straits  that  lead 
from  the  Pacific  Ocean  into  the  Gulf  of  Tokio,  from 
Sagami  to  Kadzusa.  As  he  stood  on  the  shores  of 
Sagami  before  embarking  and  looked  across  the  straits, 
he  mocked  at  their  name,  Hashiri-midzu  (“running 
water”),  saying,  “This  is  but  a little  sea — one  might  even 
jump  over  it.”  The  Sea  God  was  angered  when  he  heard 
these  words  and  raised  a violent  storm,  so  that  the  ship 
was  in  danger  of  foundering.  Then  his  wife,  the 
Princess  Oto  Tachibana,  who  was  with  him,  resolved 
to  propitiate  the  God  by  sacrificing  her  own  life  and  so 
save  that  of  her  lord.  So  she  spread  eight  rugs  of 
serge,  eight  of  skins,  and  eight  of  silk  on  top  of  the 
waves,  and  seating  herself  on  the  uppermost  was  carried 
away  and  drowned.  Then  the  storm  was  stilled  and  the 
ship  proceeded  in  safety.  Seven  days  afterwards  her 
comb  floated  ashore,  and  was  reverently  placed  in  a 
shrine.  Far  away  from  this  shrine,  in  the  little  village 
of  Honno,  that  lies  secluded  among  the  mountains  of 
Kadzusa,  another  temple  has  been  erected  to  her  memory 
and  there  she  is  still  worshipped  by  fishermen,  who  come 
from  the  coast  that  is  miles  away  to  ask  for  her  pro- 


THE  DARK  AGES 


41 


tection  while  they  are  on  the  open  sea,  at  the  mercy  of 
the  great  waves  of  the  Pacific  that  break  on  the  eastern 
shores.  Still  more  is  her  memory  preserved  in  the 
name,  beloved  of  poets,  of  the  eastern  provinces  of 
Japan.  When  Yamato  Dake,  in  his  later  wanderings, 
reached  the  summit  of  the  Usui  Pass,  a lofty  pass  on 
the  great  central  high  road  of  Japan,  and  gazed  from 
it  on  the  wide  extent  of  the  eastern  plains  that  was 
before  his  view  he  sighed,  and  said,  “Adzuma  wa  ya  ” 
(“alas,  my  wife  ! ”).  So  the  eastern  provinces  are  called 
Adzuma  to  this  day. 

After  subduing  all  the  eastern  provinces,  he  made  his 
way  into  the  province  of  Shinano,  “the  land  of  high 
mountains  and  profound  valleys.”  Here  he  lost  his 
way,  but  was  miraculously  guided  by  a white  dog  to 
safety  in  the  less  wild  province  of  Mino. 

Travellers  on  the  Tokaido  Railway  from  Tokio  to 
Kioto,  after  they  pass  Gifu,  famous  for  its  cormorant- 
fishing, as  they  approach  Lake  Biwa,  see  on  their 
right  hand  Mount  Ibuki,  one  of  the  seven  high  moun- 
tains of  Japan,  which  rises  precipitously  from  the 
plains  on  the  borders  of  the  provinces  of  Omi  and 
Mino.  It  is  celebrated  for  the  Mogusa,1  the  plant 
from  which  the  moxa  is  made,  which  grows  on  it  in 
great  abundance.  Its  appearance  is  bare  and  forbid- 
ding, offering  the  smallest  attraction  to  the  most  ardent 
climber.  Here  Yamato  Dake  heard  there  was  a savage 
deity.  Leaving  his  sword  behind  him  he  ascended  the 
mountain,  determined  to  take  the  deity  by  the  strength 
of  his  arms  alone.  On  the  way  he  met  with  a white 
boar,  as  large  as  an  ox,  and  thinking  this  to  be  only  a 
messenger  from  the  deity  he  left  it  unharmed  and  con- 

1 Mogusa — the  mugwort — means  burning  grass.  It  is  universally 
used  as  a cautery  both  in  China  and  Japan,  and  its  application  to  the 
body  is  regarded  in  the  Chinese  system  of  medicine  as  a sovereign 
specific  for  almost  every  illness. 


42 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


tinued  his  climb.  It  was  not  a messenger,  but  the  deity 
himself.  In  anger  at  the  invasion  of  his  home,  he 
brought  clouds  on  the  mountain  and  caused  ice-rain  to 
fall.  The  Prince  lost  his  way,  and  in  his  weariness 
reeled  like  a drunken  man.  But  his  courage  carried  him 
on,  not  knowing  in  the  mist  where  he  was,  till  at  last, 
dazed  and  exhausted,  he  found  himself  once  more  at  the 
mountain’s  foot.  There  he  sat  down  beside  a spring  of 
clear  water,  and  when  he  had  drunk  from  it  his  senses 
came  back  to  him  and  he  was  himself  again.  Both  the 
spring  and  the  stone  on  which  he  sat  are  still  to  be  seen 
at  the  village  of  Samegai,  and  the  spring  is  still  called 
the  I-zame-shimidzu  (“the  springof  rest  and  wakening”). 

His  life  was  now  near  its  end.  The  chill  of  the  moun- 
tain had  done  its  work,  and  whereas  “his  heart  had 
before  been  so  light  that  he  always  felt  like  flying 
through  the  sky,”  now  he  could  scarcely  drag  his  wearied 
legs  along.  He  reached  Owari,  where  the  wife  lived 
who  had  replaced  Tachibana,  but  all  his  thought  was  to 
make  his  way  to  his  home  in  Yamato,  and  so  he  did  not 
stay  with  her.  So  weary  was  he  that  when  climbing 
a short  pass  on  the  road  near  Oiwake,  the  junction  of 
the  roads  that  lead  to  Ise  and  Kioto,  he  had  to  use  his 
sword  as  a staff  to  help  him,  whence  the  pass  is  to  this 
day  called  Tsuye-dsuki-saka  (“staff-lean  pass  ”).  At  last 
he  came  to  the  Moor  of  Nobo  in  Ise,  and  knowing  that 
the  end  had  come,  he  sent  a messenger  to  the  Emperor 
to  tell  of  what  he  had  done  and  to  say  that  his  only 
grief  in  dying  was  that  he  could  not  see  his  father’s 
face  once  more.  Then  he  died,  and  was  buried  on  the 
moor.  But  his  body  took  the  form  of  a white  heron  and 
flew  to  his  home  in  Yamato,  and  thence  to  Heaven,  so 
that  nothing  was  buried  of  him  but  his  clothes  and  cap. 

Every  incident  that  has  now  been  told  of  his  life  is  a 
favourite  subject  of  Japanese  artists,  perhaps  most  of  all 
that  of  Tachibana  sinking  on  the  waves  while  the  ship 


THE  DARK  AGES 


43 


sails  off  on  a calm  sea.  All  over  the  eastern  provinces 
shrines  are  found  in  which  his  memory  is  reverently 
worshipped  as  the  national  model  of  loyalty,  bravery 
and  devotion,  and  his  name  is  still  used  to  rouse  the 
courage  of  the  Emperor’s  soldiers,  who  are  asked,  on  the 
eve  of  battle,  to  remember  Yamato  Dake,  and  to  fight  and 
sacrifice  their  lives  freely  for  the  Emperor’s  sake  with  the 
undaunted  spirit  that  he  displayed  throughout  his  life. 

Keiko  died  in  130  a.d.,  at  the  age  of  143  years,  and 
was  succeeded  on  the  throne  by  his  son  Seimu,  who 
reigned  for  sixty-one  uneventful  years.  He  left  no  son, 
and  was  therefore  succeeded  by  his  nephew  Chiuai,  the 
son  of  Yamato  Dake.  In  person  he  was  a worthy  son  of 
his  handsome  father.  His  features  were  beautiful,  and 
his  stature,  as  did  that  of  his  grandfather,  exceeded  ten 
feet.  Early  in  his  reign  rebellion  once  more  broke  out  in 
Kiushiu,  and  the  Emperor,  as  his  grandfather  had  done, 
took  the  field  in  person  to  suppress  it.  He  was  accom- 
panied by  his  Empress,  a lady  of  strong  character, 
courage  and  energy,  and  of  unbounded  ambition,  the 
greatest  heroine  in  Japanese  history,  the  equal  of  its 
greatest  heroes,  and  the  first  to  display  the  glory  of  the 
divine  land  beyond  the  seas. 

One  day  during  the  campaign  the  Emperor  was  play- 
ing on  his  lute,  when  the  Empress  became  divinely  in- 
spired. The  result  of  her  inspiration  is  described  in  the 
Kojiki : — 

“ She  then  charged  the  Emperor  : ‘ There  is  a land  to  the 
westward,  and  in  that  land  is  abundance  of  various  treasures 
dazzling  to  the  eye,  from  gold  and  silver  downwards.  I will 
now  bestow  this  land  upon  thee.’  Then  the  Emperor  replied, 
saying  : ‘ If  one  ascend  to  a high  place  and  look  westward, 
no  country  is  to  be  seen.  There  is  only  the  great  sea,’  and 
saying  : ‘ They  are  lying  Deities,’  he  pushed  away  his  august 
lute.  Then  the  Deities  were  very  angry,  and  said  : ‘ As  for 
this  Empire,  it  is  not  a land  over  which  thou  oughtest  to 
rule:  do  thou  go  to  the  one  road.’  Hereupon  the  Prime 


44 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Minister,  the  noble  Takeuchi,  said:  ‘I  am  filled  with  awe; 
my  Heavenly  Sovereign,  continue  playing  thy  great  august 
lute.  ’ Then  the  Emperor  slowly  drew  his  august  lute 
languidly  to  him.  So  almost  immediately  the  sound  of  the 
august  lute  became  inaudible.  On  their  forthwith  lifting  a 
light  and  looking,  the  Heavenly  Sovereign  was  dead.” 

Korea  was  at  this  time  divided  into  three  kingdoms, 
and  some  communications  between  at  least  one  of  them 
and  Japan  had  already  taken  place  during  the  reigns  of 
the  Emperors  Sujin  and  Suinin.  It  is  not  easy,  there- 
fore, to  understand  Chiuai’s  incredulity.  The  Empress 
had  greater  faith  in  the  Gods,  greater  ambition  and 
greater  statesmanship  than  her  husband.  A foreign 
conquest  would  ensure  to  her  greater  fame  than  the 
subdual  of  an  ordinary  local  outbreak,  and  the  union 
of  the  people  against  a foreign  foe  might  also  bring 
with  it  lasting  domestic  peace.  With  the  aid  of  the 
Prime  Minister,  Takeuchi,  who  lived  to  the  age  of 
360  years  and  served  six  successive  Emperors,  all 
knowledge  of  the  Emperor’s  death  was  suppressed,  his 
body  was  temporarily  buried  at  night,  and  in  his 
name  the  Empress  proceeded  with  her  preparations. 
Further  divine  omens  promised  her  success.  Out  of 
the  threads  of  her  garment  she  made  a fishing-line  and 
from  a needle  a hook,  and  standing  on  a stone  in  the 
middle  of  the  river,  she  said,  “If  I am  to  succeed,  let 
the  fish  of  the  river  bite  the  hook.”  She  at  once  caught 
a trout.  Afterwards  women  only  used  to  fish  in  that 
river  in  the  early  part  of  the  fourth  month  in  each  year. 
If  men  tried  it  they  had  no  success.  Then  she  bathed 
in  the  sea,  and  said,  “If  I am  to  succeed,  let  my  hair 
be  parted  in  two.”  Her  hair  parted  of  its  own  accord, 
so  she  henceforth  wore  it  and  dressed  as  a man.  Her 
fleet  and  army  were  then  ready,  and  she  took  the  com- 
mand in  person.  She  was  at  this  time  pregnant,  but 
she  tied  a stone  in  her  girdle  and  wore  it  constantly, 
and  thus  delayed  her  delivery.  The  day  of  sailing  into 


THE  DARK  AGES 


45 


the  unknown  waters  came  and  the  Gods  again  displayed 
their  favour.  A great  wave  came  which  carried  the 
whole  fleet  with  it  rapidly  and  safely,  and  even  the 
fishes  of  the  sea  bore  on  their  backs  the  vessel  which 
carried  the  Empress  herself  and  brought  it  at  the  head 
of  the  fleet  to  the  shores  of  Southern  Korea.  The  waves 
penetrated  far  into  the  land,  adding  to  the  terror  of  the 
Koreans,  who  w'ere  taken  entirely  by  surprise.  They 
thought  their  country  was  going  to  be  swallowed  by 
the  ocean,  while  the  fleet  of  the  invaders  rode  on  the 
waves  in  perfect  security.  No  tidings  of  the  coming 
invasion  had  reached  them,  and  the  arrival  of  the  great 
fleet  gave  the  first  intimation  of  the  fate  that  threatened 
them.  Powerless  to  resist,  they  submitted  without  strik- 
ing a single  blow,  and  their  King  promised  solemnly, 
in  their  names,  that  they  would  be  subject  to  Japan  and 
pay  annual  tribute  “until  the  sun  rose  in  the  West,  the 
rivers  flowed  backwards,  and  the  stones  on  earth  became 
stars  in  the  sky.”  Eighty  vessels  were  laden  with  the 
spoils  of  gold  and  silver  and  silk;  hostages  were  taken, 
and  the  fleet  returned  in  triumph  to  Japan  after  an 
absence  of  less  than  three  months.  Then  the  Empress’s 
child  was  at  last  born.  All  these  things  happened  in 
the  year  200  a.d.  For  hundreds  of  years  afterwards  the 
Koreans  faithfully  fulfilled  their  promise  of  sending 
annual  tribute,  and  the  custom  was  destined  to  exercise 
a great  influence  on  the  destinies  of  Japan.  It  became 
the  source  of  a system  of  civilization  which  lasted  for 
thirteen  centuries;  it  was  freely  quoted  as  one  of  the 
grounds  which  justified  Japan’s  modern  interference  in 
the  domestic  and  foreign  affairs  of  Korea,  an  interfer- 
ence which  was  the  cause  of  her  wars  with  both  China 
and  Russia.  None  of  the  miraculous  incidents  which 
accompanied  it  have  prevented  the  Japanese  from  re- 
garding the  invasion  as  a historic  event,  on  which  they 
look  back  with  exulting  pride  as  a triumph  of  organiza- 


46 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


tion  and  valour  achieved  under  the  guidance  and  com- 
mand of  a woman.  The  Empress  lived  and  governed 
for  nearly  seventy  years  after  her  exploit,  and  she  was 
a hundred  years  old  when  she  died.  She  was  succeeded 
by  the  son  whose  birth  had  been  so  miraculously  re- 
tarded, who  became  the  Emperor  Ojin.  Although  she 
governed  the  country  throughout  all  these  years  with 
no  less  vigour  and  success  than  she  had  shown  in  her 
conquest,  she  is  considered  to  have  done  so  only  in  the 
name  of  her  husband,  who,  though  dead,  was  by  a 
fiction,  common  enough  in  later  history,  supposed  to  be 
still  reigning,  and  the  honour  of  a separate  place  in  the 
official  list  of  Sovereigns  of  the  Empire  is  not  given 
her.  Her  son  was  believed  to  have  inspired  her  with 
the  wisdom  and  generalship  that  carried  out  the  con- 
quest, and  while  a very  subordinate  place  is  given  to 
the  mother  in  the  National  Pantheon,  while  her  memory 
is  mainly  preserved  as  that  of  a general  and  governor 
of  human  standard,  the  son,  who  throughout  his  reign 
was  tried  neither  by  civil  nor  domestic  war,  who  had 
no  opportunity  of  showing  either  courage  or  military 
capacity,  of  whom  nearly  all  that  is  told  is  of  his  suc- 
cess in  love,  was  deified  as  Hachiman,  the  God  of  War. 
Splendid  temples  have  been  dedicated  to  his  honour  at 
Tokio,  Kamakura  and  Kioto;  he  was  chosen  many 
centuries  after  his  death  as  their  patron  god  by  the 
Minamoto,  the  greatest  family  of  warriors  that  Japan  has 
ever  produced ; and  it  is  to  him  that  soldiers  still  pray 
when  they  are  about  to  proceed  on  active  service. 

The  Japanese  preserved  until  the  Korean  invasion 
some  of  the  characteristics  of  a nomadic  people,  who, 
though  they  had  emerged  from  the  conditions  of  abso- 
lute barbarism,  were  in  their  ignorance  and  customs  but 
a little  away  above  the  degree  of  savages.  The  Go 
Kinai,  the  five  provinces  around  Kioto,  enjoyed  the 
benefits  of  a Government  able  to  enforce  its  will  and  to 


THE  DARK  AGES 


47 


preserve  at  least  a semblance  of  order  among  the  inhabit- 
ants, but  the  authority  of  this  Government  over  the  out- 
lying provinces  of  the  west,  still  more  over  the  island 
of  Kiushiu,  was  only  nominal,  and  was  stoutly  resisted 
when  attempts  were  made  to  enforce  it.  The  north,  as 
far  as  the  plains  of  Kuanto,  had  been  overrun  and  con- 
quered by  Yamato  Dake,  but  no  serious  attempt  had  as 
yet  been  made  to  colonize  it,  and  it  remained  in  a state 
of  primitive  savagery,  held  by  the  fierce  and  truculent 
Ainus,  among  whom  Japanese  settlers  could  hope  for 
security  neither  of  life  nor  property.  In  the  home  pro- 
vinces, the  seat  of  the  Court  and  Emperor,  there  were 
neither  towns  nor  roads.  The  largest  congregation  of 
inhabitants  never  much  exceeded  the  degree  of  a village. 
The  capital  is  frequently  mentioned,  but  the  capital 
meant  simply  the  residence  of  the  Emperor,  and  that, 
though  always  called  a palace,  was  of  such  simple  con- 
struction that  the  same  palace  was  never  used  for  two 
successive  reigns.  Where  the  framework  of  the  palace 
was  of  wood,  its  roof  of  the  rudest  thatch,  its  walls  also 
of  grass  or  rushes  bound  by  ropes  made  from  fibrous 
plants  or  rushes,  destitute  of  ornamentation,  with  no 
pretence  to  architectural  beauty  or  solidity,  with  only 
earthen  floors,  covered  with  rugs  of  skins  or  grass,  the 
houses  even  of  the  nobility  can  have  been  little  better 
than  fragile  huts  which  gave  no  inducement  to  the 
owners  to  become  permanent  dwellers  in  any  one  spot. 
Castles  are  occasionally  mentioned,  but  the  rapidity 
with  which  they  were  constructed  forbids  any  other 
assumption  than  that  they  were  merely  stockades  of 
bamboo  grass  and  timber  hastily  thrown  up  on  the 
approach  of  a foe  of  superior  strength,  so  as  to  afford 
some  shelter  from  his  arrows. 

Rice  was  cultivated  from  the  earliest  times,  and  other 
cereals  and  plants  are  occasionally  mentioned ; but  the 
main  occupations  were  those  of  hunters  and  fishers,  and 


48 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


hunting  and  fishing  were  the  chief  sources  of  the  supply 
of  food.  The  fermented  rice  beer,  which  is  the  national 
intoxicating  drink  to  the  present  day,  appears  to  have 
been  known  from  the  earliest  days,  and  drinking  to 
excess  was  an  ordinary  occurrence.  Manufacturing 
industry  scarcely  existed  even  in  its  most  primitive 
aspects.  Weaving  and  sewing  were  the  recognized 
occupations  of  the  women.  Even  the  Sun  Goddess  was 
engaged  in  the  supervision  of  the  weaving  of  the  gar- 
ments of  the  Gods  when  she  was  the  victim  of  one  of 
the  worst  practical  jokes  of  her  unruly  brother,  and  the 
Empress  Jingo  made  a fishing-line  and  hook  of  the 
thread  of  her  garments  and  a needle.  The  details  of  the 
tragic  fate  of  the  Princess  Tachibana  show  that  silk  was 
not  unknown,  but  this  is  an  isolated  instance  of  its 
mention.  The  cultivation  and  use  of  cotton  were  not 
introduced  until  the  ninth  century,  and  Japan  has  never 
been— is  not  to  the  present  day — a wool-producing 
country,  and  hemp  and  mulberry  bark  are  the  only 
materials  that  are  mentioned  as  furnishing  the  fabrics 
from  which  clothing  was  made.  The  ordinary  dress 
included  a considerable  variety  of  garments : skirt, 

upper  garment,  girdle  and  trousers,  and  hat  are  all  men- 
tioned. Swords,  spears  and  arrow  heads  that  could 
penetrate  more  deeply  than  would  have  been  possible 
for  either  stone  or  bone,  and  metal  mirrors  all  testify 
that  the  use  of  iron  was  common ; and  when  human 
sacrifices  were  abolished  at  Imperial  funerals  the  aid  of 
the  guild  of  potters  was  invoked  to  supply  earthen 
images  to  take  the  place  of  the  dead  princes’  attendants 
and  horses,  so  that  it  may  be  assumed  that  earthenware 
utensils  were  in  common  domestic  use. 

At  the  head  of  the  nation  was  the  Emperor,  vested,  in 
virtue  of  his  divine  descent  and  of  his  incarnation  on 
earth  of  the  Gods  of  Heaven,  once  he  was  placed  on 
the  throne,  with  absolute  and  unquestioned  autocracy, 


THE  DARK  AGES 


49 


which,  in  fact,  was  only  exercised  over  the  people  in 
or  near  Yamato.  The  rest  of  the  people  were  grouped 
into  territorial  clans,  each  clan  governed  by  its  own 
hereditary  chief,  who  was  responsible  and  owed  the  most 
complete  allegiance  to  the  Emperor,  but  was  free  to 
govern  his  own  clan  as  he  pleased  so  long  as  he  did 
nothing  that  conflicted  with  the  Emperor’s  wishes  or 
decrees,  or  made  no  open  defiance  to  his  sovereignty. 
Rebellions  were  common  on  the  parts  of  the  chiefs  of 
the  clans  distant  from  the  capital,  and  military  opera- 
tions for  their  suppression  were  frequent  throughout  the 
centuries  antecedent  to  the  Christian  Era.  The  clan 
was  composed  of  families,  and  outside  the  pale  of  the 
clan  families,  all  of  which  claimed  a certain  degree  of 
aristocratic  descent  and  birth,  were  serfs,  attached  either 
to  the  Imperial  or  local  domains,  probably  the  unmixed 
descendants  of  the  aborigines  who  remained  on  the  lands 
that  had  fallen  into  the  possession  of  the  conquerors, 
instead  of  following  their  own  people  to  the  north. 

Morality — according  to  our  sense  of  the  word — was 
of  a very  low  degree.  There  was  no  legal  form  of 
marriage,  and  the  only  restriction  on  consanguineous 
marriages  was  that  of  brother  and  sister  born  of  the 
same  father  and  mother.  Marriages  between  brother 
and  sister  of  the  same  father  but  of  different  mothers, 
between  nephew  and  aunt,  son  and  father’s  widow, 
were  all  common.  Polygamy  was  universal,  and  the 
only  distinction  between  wives  and  concubines  was  that 
of  name,  the  concubines  being  of  the  same  rank  in  life 
as  in  many  cases  the  younger  sisters  of  the  wife,  and 
wife  or  concubines  could  equally  be  divorced  at  any 
time  at  the  whim  of  the  husband.  Between  the  children 
of  the  wives  and  concubines  there  was  not  even  a dis- 
tinction of  name.  All  wrere  equally  the  legitimate 
children  of  the  father,  and  those  of  the  concubine  were 
not  unfrequently  preferred  in  the  succession  to  those 

E 


50 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


of  the  acknowledged  wife.  Over  wives,  concubines  and 
children,  the  head  of  the  family  exercised  the  most  un- 
qualified powers.  They  were  his  chattels,  to  be  disposed 
of  as  he  wished.  If  he  committed  a crime  that  could  be 
atoned  for  by  a fine,  wife  and  children  could  be  sold  to 
defray  the  fine.  If  the  crime  was  punishable  by  death — 
and  the  last  penalty  was  inflicted  for  very  trivial  offences 
— wife,  concubines  and  children  all  shared  their  master’s 
fate. 

Books  there  were  none,  the  art  of  writing  was  un- 
known, there  was  not  even  a system  of  hieroglyphs;  all 
communications  were  oral,  and  oral  tradition  was  the  sole 
means  by  which  the  records  of  events  were  preserved. 

The  Empress  Jingo  brought  back  with  her  from 
Korea  some  perception  of  a higher  order  of  civilization 
than  what  she  had  hitherto  known,  and  every  successive 
tribute-bearing  embassy  that  came  to  Japan  became  a 
civilizing  medium  for  the  spread  of  knowledge  and  for 
softening  the  manners  of  a rude  and  barbarous  people. 
Writing  was  introduced  in  the  fifth  century,  and  the 
art  and  science,  literature,  religion,  laws,  social  and 
political  systems  of  China  gradually  followed  and  slowly 
but  surely  made  their  impress  on  Japan.  A steady 
stream  of  teachers  poured  into  the  country,  not  only 
from  Korea,  but  from  China,  and  paved  the  way  for 
the  advent  of  Buddhist  missionaries,  not  only  priests 
and  nuns,  but  temple  builders  and  image  carvers,  who 
ultimately  achieved  what  is  perhaps  the  greatest  mission- 
ary triumph  that  the  world  has  ever  seen.  They  con- 
verted, not  a section,  but  an  entire  nation,  and  even  the 
sanctity  of  the  Court  proved  no  bar  to  their  prosely- 
tizing energy.  The  Emperor,  who  believed  himself  to  be 
God  Incarnate,  his  consort,  and  their  Court  were  at  last 
numbered  among  their  converts,  and  gave  both  their 
influence  and  their  wealth  to  the  honour  and  promotion 
of  the  new  religion  throughout  the  Empire. 


CHAPTER  IV 


THE  DAWN  OF  HISTORY 

The  annals  of  the  Emperors  who  followed  Ojin  on 
the  throne  are  mainly  occupied  with  genealogies,  with 
disputed  questions  as  to  the  succession,  and  with  tales 
of  their  amorous  adventures.  His  immediate  successor, 
Nintoku  (313-399),  was  distinguished  for  benevolence 
and  humanity.  He  remitted  taxation  and  forced  labour, 
and,  until  the  economic  condition  of  his  people  became 
prosperous,  lived  in  such  self-denial  that  even  the  roof 
of  the  palace  was  left  unrepaired,  so  that  the  rain  leaked 
in,  and  the  inmates  had  to  make  their  beds  in  places 
where  there  was  no  leakage.  He  was  troubled  with  a 
jealous  Empress  who  refused  to  recognize  the  usual 
privileges  of  the  Sovereign.  “The  Concubines  of  the 
Heavenly  Sovereign  could  not  even  peep  inside  the 
palace.”  The  most  beautiful  among  them  fled  from  it. 
Human  nature  was  much  the  same  in  those  as  in  later 
days.  Taking  advantage  of  the  Empress’s  absence  on 
a progress,  the  Emperor  sought  consolation  in  the 
society  of  another  Princess.  The  Empress  w-as  promptly 
told  of  it  by  one  of  the  ladies  of  her  own  train,  and  in 
her  indignation  refused  to  return  to  the  Emperor.  In 
vain  one  of  the  Courtiers  attempted  to  plead  with  her, 
and,  hoping  for  an  audience,  remained  prostrate  day  and 
night  in  her  courtyard,  drenched  with  snow  and  rain. 
The  Empress  was  obdurate  till  her  death.  The  next 
three  Emperors,  Rikiu  (400-406),  Hanzei  (406-410), 
and  Ingyo  (412-453),  were  all  sons  of  Nintoku.  Ingyo, 
e 2 51 


52 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


the  nineteenth  of  the  line,  suffered  from  long  illness,  and 
was  with  difficulty  induced  to  accept  the  throne.  For- 
tunately the  first  bearer  of  the  Korean  tribute  in  his 
reign  was  a skilled  physician,  and  the  Emperor  was 
cured  of  his  sickness  by  him,  and  thenceforward  the 
Chinese  system  of  medicine  was  studied  and  practised  in 
Japan.  His  reign  was  notable  for  one  important 
domestic  reform.  Confusion  had  arisen  in  the  titles  and 
names  of  the  patrician  families — many  used  titles  to 
which  they  had  no  right,  or  claimed  a descent,  which 
was  wholly  spurious,  from  previous  Emperors,  or  even 
from  the  Heavenly  Gods.  All  the  patricians  were  sub- 
jected to  the  ordeal  of  hot  water,  and,  after  having 
fasted  and  purified  themselves,  they  plunged  their  bare 
arms  into  cauldrons  of  boiling  water  or  mud.  Those 
who  were  worthy  of  the  names  they  claimed  came 
through  the  ordeal  harmless ; the  impostors  suffered,  and 
many  who  had  no  faith  in  their  case  refused  to  undergo 
the  test.  The  lists  of  the  noble  families  were  rectified, 
and  as  they  were  faithfully  preserved  from  that  time, 
there  was  no  longer  any  doubt  as  to  their  correctness, 
and  the  rightful  claims  of  those  whose  names  were 
entered  in  them. 

During  his  lifetime,  the  Emperor  Ingyo  nominated 
his  eldest  son,  Prince  Kara,  as  heir-apparent.  The 
Prince  was  so  beautiful  that  all  looked  upon  him  with 
admiration ; his  sister  was  equally  beautiful,  and  the 
Prince  loved  her  so  that  he  could  not  control  his  passion, 
and  secretly  wedded  her.  Unions  between  brothers  and 
sisters  of  the  same  father  but  of  different  mothers  were 
common,  and  aroused  no  comment,  but  in  this  case  they 
were  of  full  blood,  and  when  what  had  happened  became 
known  the  people  were  shocked.  So  when  the  father 
died,  all  the  officials  and  people  repudiated  the  eldest, 
and  conferred  the  succession  on  the  younger  son,  the 
Emperor  Anko  (453-456).  The  eldest  was  banished,  and 


THE  DAWN  OF  HISTORY 


53 


his  sister  followed  him,  and  both  died  together  by  their 
own  hands.  There  was  a still  younger  brother,  on  whose 
behalf  the  Emperor  sought  the  hand  in  marriage  of  the 
sister  of  Prince  Okusaka,  both  Prince  and  sister  being 
the  children  of  the  Emperor  Nintoku,  and  therefore 
uncle  and  aunt  of  the  Emperor  Anko  and  his  brother, 
the  suitor  for  the  lady’s  hand.  The  messenger  whom  he 
sent  brought  back  a false  answer  that  Okusaka  refused 
to  give  his  consent  to  the  proposed  marriage,  and  also 
appropriated  to  himself  a jewelled  head-dress  which 
Okusaka  had  sent  as  a token  of  his  willingness  to  comply 
with  the  Emperor’s  wish.  Then  the  Emperor  was  wroth, 
and  attacked  and  slew  Okusaka,  and  took  both  his 
widow  and  sister.  As  Nintoku  died  in  399  and  it  was 
now  454,  the  sister  at  least  and  the  widow  in  all  prob- 
ability of  the  slain  Prince  cannot  have  been  very  young, 
but  that  consideration  did  not  prevent  the  Emperor 
wedding  the  widow  and  making  her  his  Empress,  and 
giving  the  sister  in  marriage  to  his  younger  brother. 
Now  the  new  Empress  had  a son  by  her  first  marriage, 
who,  being  only  a boy  of  seven  years  of  age,  was  taken 
to  the  Palace  with  her.  One  day,  as  he  was  playing  near 
the  chamber  in  which  the  Emperor  and  Empress  were 
resting  at  midday,  he  overheard  them  talking  of  the 
death  of  his  father,  and  angered  at  what  he  heard,  he 
waited  until  the  Emperor  was  asleep,  and  then,  drawdng 
his  sword  and  creeping  stealthily  into  the  chamber,  he, 
young  as  he  was,  murdered  the  Emperor  as  he  slept. 
Yuriaku,  Anko’s  youngest  brother,  succeeded  to  the 
throne.  He  possessed  both  great  bodily  strength  and 
a violent  temper,  over  which  he  exercised  so  little 
control  that  “one  who  saw  him  in  the  morning  was  slain 
in  the  evening,  and  one  who  saw  him  in  the  evening  was 
slain  by  morning.”  His  brother’s  murder  roused  his 
fiercest  anger.  Two  elder  brothers  were  living.  Neither 
seemed  to  share  his  anger  to  a degree  that  was  worthy 


54 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


of  the  dignity  and  relationship  to  themselves  of  the  dead 
Emperor.  So  he  killed  them  both,  the  first  with  his 
sword ; the  second  “he  clutched  by  the  collar,  pulled  him 
along,  and,  digging  a pit,  buried  him  as  he  stood,  so 
that  by  the  time  he  had  been  buried  up  to  the  loins  both 
his  eyes  burst  out,  and  he  died.”  Then  the  actual 
murderer  became  the  object  of  his  vengeance.  The  boy 
took  refuge  in  the  house  of  the  Chief  Minister  of  State, 
who  refused  to  surrender  him.  Yuriaku  attacked  the 
house,  and  though  a determined  resistance  was  made, 
the  strength  of  the  defenders  was  soon  exhausted.  The 
house  was  burned,  and  Prince,  minister  and  all  the 
inmates  perished  with  it.  There  was  one  more  Prince 
still  living  who  stood  between  the  throne  and  Yuriaku. 
The  Emperor  Rikiu  (400-406)  at  his  death  left  two  sons, 
who  were  considered  too  young  to  succeed  him,  and  who 
were  therefore  set  aside  in  favour  of  their  uncle.  Anko 
had  contemplated  conferring  the  title  of  Prince  Imperial 
on  Prince  Oshiba,  the  eldest,  so  that  the  succession 
would  have  come  to  him  at  Anko’s  death ; but  the 
latter’s  murder  took  place  before  the  investiture  was 
made.  Prince  Oshiba  had  therefore  only  a moral  claim 
to  the  throne,  but  all  the  circumstances  rendered  it 
stronger  than  Yuriaku’s.  He  had  therefore  to  be 
removed.  The  two  Princes  went  on  a hunting  expedi- 
tion together.  Yuriaku  put  on  armour  underneath  his 
hunting  clothes,  took  bow  and  arrows,  and,  in  an 
interval  of  the  chase,  when  Oshiba  was  riding  with  a 
tranquil  heart,  shot  him  with  an  arrow,  cut  his  body  to 
pieces,  and  buried  the  pieces  without  ceremony  in  a 
horse’s  manger,  and  the  other  son  of  Rikiu  was  soon 
killed,  though  in  a less  treacherous  manner.  All  these 
events  took  place  within  three  months  from  the  Emperor 
Anko’s  death,  and  the  way  to  the  throne  was  then  clear 
for  Yuriaku,  who  assumed  the  Imperial  Dignity.  His 
reign  lasted  for  twenty-two  years  (457-479).  Ambas- 


THE  DAWN  OF  HISTORY 


55 


sadors  are  mentioned  as  having  arrived  from  China,  and 
Japanese  generals  were  sent  to  take  part  in  a war  that 
broke  out  between  two  of  the  Korean  Kings;  but 
generallv  historv  tells  only  of  his  hunting  expeditions 
and  of  his  amours.  Some  of  its  incidents,  insignificant 
though  they  are,  have  appealed  to  Japanese  painters,  and 
are  favourite  subjects  with  the  lovers  and  writers  of 
romance.  One  at  least  bears  some  resemblance  to  a 
story  in  the  Bible. 

One  of  the  officials  of  the  Palace  was  one  day  praising 
the  beautv  of  his  wife  to  his  fellows  when  the  Emperor 
overheard  him,  and  desired  to  obtain  the  wife  for  him- 
self. So  he  dispatched  the  husband  on  a mission  to 
Korea,  and  having  thus  got  him  out  of  the  way,  at  once 
took  possession  of  his  wife.  When  the  husband  in 
Korea  heard  of  what  had  happened,  he  threw  off  his 
allegiance  to  his  own  country,  and.  leaving  his  post  in 
Imna.  one  of  the  Korean  kingdoms,  cast  his  lot  with  th^e 
rival  kingdom  of  Silla.  which  had  ceased  to  send  tribute 
to  Japan,  so  that  he  became  a traitor,  and  died  without 
ever  returning  home. 

Once  when  hunting  the  Emperor  saw  a very  beautiful 
girl  washing  clothes  at  a river-side.  Pleased  with  her 
beauty,  he  told  her  not  to  marry  and  that  he  would  send 
for  her.  So  the  girl  went  home  and  waited.  Eighth- 
years  passed  by,  and  no  message  came  to  her  from  the 
Palace.  The  girl,  having  become  an  old  and  decrepit 
woman,  with  face  and  form  lean  and  withered,  though 
without  hope,  resolved  to  present  herself  at  the  Palace 
and  tell  the  Emperor  how  faithfully  she  had  waited  for 
him.  When  he  heard  her  story  he  was  greatly  startled, 
and  in  his  pity  wished  to  take  her  then,  but  he  could 
not  make  the  marriage  on  account  of  her  extreme  old 
age.  So  he  sent  her  back  plentifully  endowed. 

Again,  when  he  was  hunting  on  Mount  Kayurake.  a 
furious  wild  boar  rushed  roaring  out  of  the  bush  and 


56 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


charged  him.  His  attendants  were  terror-struck,  and 
fled  and  took  refuge  in  the  trees ; but  the  Emperor  stood 
firm,  and  faced  and  shot  the  boar  with  an  arrow  and 
killed  it.  Then  he  ordered  his  cowardly  attendants  to  be 
executed,  but  on  the  Empress’s  intercession — she  told 
him  he  would  be  no  better  than  a wolf  himself  if  he  had 
them  put  to  death — he  pardoned  them,  and  was  rewarded 
by  the  loyal  plaudits  of  the  people  as  he  returned  with 
the  Empress  in  their  carriage. 

On  another  occasion,  as  he  was  holding  a great  feast 
in  the  open  beneath  a tree,  a leaf  fell  into  the  wine-cup 
just  as  one  of  the  female  attendants  was  handing  it  to 
him.  The  attendant  did  not  notice  the  leaf,  and  the 
Heavenly  Sovereign,  angered  at  her  carelessness, 
knocked  her  down,  and  was  about  to  cut  her  head  off 
with  his  sword.  But  she  sang  a song  which  appealed  to 
both  Emperor  and  Empress,  and  so  her  crime  was 
pardoned. 

It  was  in  the  closing  years  of  his  reign  that  the  fisher- 
boy,  Urashima,  the  Rip  van  Winkle  of  Japan,  dis- 
appeared from  his  home.  He  went  fishing  alone  in  his 
boat  off  the  coast  of  Tango,  a province  on  the  west  coast 
of  the  main  island,  where  his  home  was,  and  as  he  was 
on  the  sea  he  caught  a turtle,  which  changed  into  the 
form  of  a beautiful  girl  as  soon  as  he  took  it  into  his 
boat.  Taking  Urashima  by  the  hand,  she  told  him  that 
she  was  the  daughter  of  the  Sea  God,  and  then  led  him 
beneath  the  waves,  where  they  came  together  to  an 
island  of  wonderful  beauty,  covered  with  splendid 
palaces.  This  was  Horai  San,  the  land  of  eternal  life. 
There  he  married  the  girl,  and  with  her  he  passed  three 
years  of  unclouded  and  unchanging  happiness.  Then 
a longing  came  to  him  to  see  his  home  and  parents  once 
more,  and  his  wife,  though  sad  at  parting  from  him  even 
for  a brief  time,  told  him  that  he  might  go,  as  his 
longing  was  so  great;  but  in  order  that  he  might  come 


THE  DAWN  OF  HISTORY 


57 


back  to  her  and  live  with  her  for  ever  she  gave  him  a 
casket,  which  he  was  to  carry  with  him  always,  but 
never  to  open.  Then  she  placed  him  again  in  his  own 
boat,  and  when  he  looked  round  he  found  that  he  was  in 
front  of  his  old  home  on  the  sea-coast.  But  when  he 
landed  all  was  changed ; he  knew  neither  houses  nor 
people,  and  when  he  asked  for  the  family  of  Urashima 
he  was  told  that  they  had  disappeared  more  than  three 
hundred  years  ago.  It  was  in  the  year  479  that  he  went 
fishing  and  caught  the  turtle.  It  was  825  when  he  came 
back.  Then,  sad  and  lonely,  he  wandered  away  towards 
the  East,  carrying  the  casket  with  him.  At  last,  think- 
ing of  his  happy  days  with  the  Sea  God’s  daughter  and 
forgetting  her  earnest  injunction,  he  one  day  opened  the 
casket.  A silver  cloud  rose  from  it  and  floated  away 
towards  the  sea  beneath  which  lay  the  enchanted  island. 
The  cloud  was  the  elixir  of  life  of  Horai  San  that  gave 
immortality  to  whomsoever  it  belonged.  Urashima  was 
then  in  the  prime  of  vigorous  youth.  In  a moment  he 
changed  into  an  old  and  decrepit  man,  and  in  a little 
while  he  died  from  the  weakness  of  old  age. 

The  story  of  the  treacherous  murder  of  Prince  Oshiba 
has  been  told.  He  left  two  sons,  both  of  whom  were 
still  children  at  the  time  of  his  death.  Japanese  methods 
of  dealing  with  political  adversaries  in  that  age  and  for 
very  many  centuries  afterwards,  as  far,  indeed,  as  the 
introduction  of  the  first  influence  of  European  civiliza- 
tion, were  thorough,  and  the  Emperor  Yuriaku  would 
have  been  only  too  ready  to  destroy  the  saplings  along 
with  the  parent  tree,  and  the  children  would  have  found 
little  mercy  at  his  unsparing  hands.  They  were  saved 
by  faithful  servants,  and  fled  from  the  Court  at  Yamato 
to  the  Province  of  Harima.  Here  they  were  lost  to  sight 
and  to  memory,  and  fell  into  such  poverty  that  both 
became  grooms  and  cowherds,  earning  their  daily  liveli- 
hood by  serving  the  keeper  of  the  State  granaries. 


58 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Yuriaku’s  son  and  successor,  Seinei  (480-484  a.d.),  had 
no  children,  and  it  was  a continual  sorrow  to  him  that 
he  could  not  provide  for  the  Imperial  succession.  A 
new  Governor  was  appointed  to  the  Province  of  Harima, 
and  a feast  was  given  by  the  inhabitants  to  welcome 
him.  The  two  young  cowherds  were  present  to  perform 
the  duty  of  keeping  the  fire  alight.  When  the  merri- 
ment was  at  its  height  both  were  called  upon  to  sing 
and  dance,  and  the  new  Governor  started  from  his  seat 
when  he  heard  rustic  menials  sing  songs  that  could 
have  been  learned  nowhere  else  than  in  the  Imperial 
Court.  He  took  both  youths  on  his  knees,1  questioned 
and  examined  them,  and  soon  satisfied  himself  that  they 
were  the  lost  children  of  the  dead  Oshiba,  the  rightful 
heirs  to  the  throne.  A messenger  was  dispatched  on  a 
swift  steed  to  the  Emperor,  who,  when  he  heard  the 
tidings,  exclaimed  : “ Heaven  in  its  bountiful  love  has 
bestowed  on  us  two  children.”  So  the  cowherds  were 
sent  for  and  brought  in  state  to  the  Palace.  There  their 
true  rank  was  restored  to  them.  In  the  following  year 
the  Emperor  died,  and  the  elder  of  the  brothers  having 
ceded  his  claims,  the  younger  succeeded  to  the  throne 
as  the  Emperor  Kenzo  (485-487).  His  reign  was  short, 
and  he  also  having  died  childless,  the  elder  brother 
received  the  reward  of  his  magnanimity,  and  became 
the  Emperor  Ninken  (488-498).  Neither  reign  was  dis- 
tinguished by  striking  events,  but  the  brothers  in  their 
own  early  lifetime  had  experienced  the  misery  and 
suffering  of  the  poor,  both  knew  the  evil  results  of 
oppression  and  cruelty.  Both  reigned  wdth  mercy,  used 
no  forced  labour,  and  freely  dispensed  charity,  and  their 
government  was  so  founded  on  consideration  for  the 
welfare  of  the  people  that  peace,  prosperity,  abundance 

1 The  latest  date  at  which  Prince  Oshiba  s murder  can  have  taken 
place  was  458.  It  was  now  480,  so  that  the  Governor  must  have 
taken  two  very  substantial  youths  on  his  knees. 


THE  DAWN  OF  HISTORY 


59 


and  happiness  were  universal  throughout  the  land,  and 
the  population  multiplied.  They  did  not  forget  the  only 
possibilities  of  exercising  their  filial  piety  that  were 
possible  to  them.  Their  father’s  body  had  been  cast 
away  in  an  unknown  and  unmarked  grave.  By  diligent 
search,  a poor  old  woman  was  discovered  who  had 
witnessed  the  burial,  and  had  never  forgotten  the  spot 
where  it  took  place.  She  pointed  it  out  to  the  Emperor, 
and  when  the  place  was  excavated  the  bones  were  found 
both  of  the  Prince  and  of  a faithful  servant  who  had 
died  with  him.  The  skeletons  could  not  be  distin- 
guished, but  the  formation  of  the  teeth  enabled  the 
Prince  to  be  easily  recognized.1  Both  were  buried  in 
one  grave  and  with  the  same  rites.  The  poor  old  woman 
was  taken  into  the  Palace  and  honoured  with  the 
Emperor’s  own  loving  care.  As  she  was  frail  and  infirm, 
a rope  was  stretched  from  her  own  to  the  Emperor’s 
chambers  to  support  her  as  she  walked,  with  a bell  at 
the  end  so  that  she  could  ring  it  and  give  notice  to  the 
Emperor  of  her  coming,  without  being  dependent  on 
the  ordinary  formalities.  As  the  two  Emperors  paid  the 
last  duties  of  filial  piety,  so  also  did  they  punish  when 
punishment  was  due.  In  their  flight  as  children,  they 
were  robbed  of  their  stock  of  provisions  by  a rough 
boarherd  with  a tattooed  face.  They  sought  him  out, 
and  when  they  found  him  they  beheaded  him,  and  cut 
the  knee  tendons  of  all  his  kindred.  So  the  descendants 
of  that  family  limped  for  ever  after. 

The  second  brother  was  succeeded  on  the  throne  by 
his  eldest  son,  Muretsu  (499-506).  Heredity  makes 
strange  mistakes,  but  there  is  no  instance  in  all  the 
history  of  the  world  where  father  and  son  have  presented 
a greater  contrast  than  in  this.  The  son  was  even  more 
cruel,  tyrannical  and  extortionate  than  the  father 

1 “ Oshiba  ” means  prominent  teeth.  The  Prince  was  distinguished 
for  the  beauty  of  his  teeth. 


60 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


merciful,  humane  and  benevolent.  He  resumed  the 
practice  of  forced  labour,  levied  increased  taxes,  and, 
while  living  himself  in  riotous  and  wanton  luxury,  took 
no  thought  for  the  suffering  of  the  oppressed  people. 
His  only  redeeming  quality  was  that  he  was  fond  of 
hunting,  of  dog  and  horse  racing,  and  in  the  pursuit 
of  sport  was  indifferent  to  wind  and  weather.  He  found 
his  greatest  pleasures  in  the  contemplation  of  human 
suffering.  He  always  witnessed  in  person  executions 
and  trials  by  torture.  He  made  men  climb  to  the  tops 
of  trees,  and  then  either  cut  down  the  trees  while  the 
men  were  at  the  tops  or  shot  at  them  with  arrows.  He 
pulled  off  the  hair  of  their  heads  and  the  nails  of  their 
fingers.  He  made  them  lie  on  the  sluices  of  the  dams 
and  then  turned  the  water  on  them,  so  that  they  were 
washed  away.  The  horror  of  his  cruelties  to  women  do 
not  bear  telling.  All  the  people  of  the  land  lived  in 
unceasing  dread.  Fortunately  his  reign  was  not  long, 
and  he  died  childless. 

Three  uneventful  reigns  may  now  be  passed  over,  and 
we  come  to  that  of  the  Emperor  Kimmei  (539-571),  in 
which  the  inception  took  place  of  the  great  religious 
revolution  which  was  destined  to  influence  the  whole 
social  condition  of  Japan  for  more  than  thirteen  cen- 
turies, and  to  be  the  foundation  of  the  system  of  national 
civilization  which  lasted  until,  in  the  nineteenth  century, 
it  gave  way  before  the  greater  strength  of  the  civilization 
of  the  West. 

More  than  three  hundred  years  had  now  passed  since 
the  invasion  of  Korea  by  the  Empress  Jingo,  and 
throughout  the  whole  of  this  period  there  had  been 
constant  intercourse  between  the  two  countries.  The 
Koreans  had  been  faithful  to  their  promise  to  send 
annual  tribute  to  Japan;  the  Japanese,  on  the  other 
hand,  had  on  several  occasions  interfered  in  the  internal 
complications  that  from  time  to  time  took  place  between 
the  three  kingdoms  into  which  Korea  was  divided,  and 


THE  DAWN  OF  HISTORY 


61 


assumed  the  part  of  a suzerain  in  enforcing  peace  when 
the  differences  between  the  kingdoms  eventuated  in 
active  hostilities.  Notwithstanding  its  divisions  and 
discords  and  the  military  weakness  which  rendered  it  an 
easy  prey  to  the  Japanese  invaders,  inured  to  warfare  in 
their  own  country,  Korea  had  already  attained  to  an 
immeasurably  higher  degree  of  civilization  than  Japan 
when  the  invasion  occurred.  It  had  reaped  the  benefit 
of  five  centuries’  close  intercourse  with  China,  and  the 
art,  literature  and  religion  of  China  had  already  taken 
firm  root,  and  their  luxurious  growth  spread  over  all  the 
land.  It  formed,  therefore,  an  object  lesson  to  its  rude 
conquerors,  and  as  time  went  on,  as  the  conquerors 
learned  more  of  the  true  essence  of  Korea’s  social 
conditions,  founded  on  the  religion  and  civilization  of 
China,  the  lesson  brought  concrete  results  which  were 
destined  to  become  the  basis  of  Japan’s  own  system  of 
government,  education  and  culture;  in  fact,  of  her  whole 
social  organization. 

In  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Kimmei  (539-571),  the 
twenty-ninth  successor  of  Jimmu  Tenno  on  the  throne, 
Buddhism  began  to  exercise  its  influence  in  the  Court. 
During  the  first  twelve  years  of  this  reign,  there  had 
been  continuous  turmoils  in  Korea,  and  the  influence 
of  Japan  had  been  frequently  called  upon  to  aid  in  the 
settlement  of  the  quarrels  which  occurred  betw'een  the 
three  rival  kingdoms.  Pekche,  threatened  by  a com- 
bination of  the  other  two  kingdoms,  had  especially 
been  made  the  object  of  Japan’s  protecting  care,  and 
when,  towards  the  close  of  the  year  552,  the  King  dis- 
patched an  embassy  to  Japan  in  gratitude  for  the  favour 
he  had  received,  he  sent  with  it  an  image  1 of  Sakaya- 
mune  in  gold  and  copper,  which  had  been  in  Korea  for 
more  than  a thousand  years,  a^id  some  volumes  of 

1 The  image  was  said  to  have  been  made  by  Sakayamune  (Buddha) 
himself  from  gold  found  on  the  sacred  mountain,  which  is  the  centre 
of  the  universe,  and  brought  to  Korea  five  hundred  years  after  it  was 
made.  The  Temple  in  which  it  is  now  preserved  in  the  city  of  Nagano 


62 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Sutras,  the  canonical  books  which  are  supposed  to 
contain  the  very  words  of  Buddha.  In  a memorial 
presented  along  with  the  image  and  the  books,  the  King 
said— 

“This  doctrine  is  amongst  all  doctrines  the  most  excellent. 
But  it  is  hard  to  explain  and  hard  to  comprehend.  It  can 
create  religious  merit  and  retribution  without  measure  and 
without  bounds,  and  so  lead  to  a full  appreciation  of  the 
highest  wisdom.  Imagine  a man  in  possession  of  treasures 
to  his  heart’s  content,  so  that  he  might  satisfy  all  his  wishes 
in  proportion  as  he  used  them.  Thus  it  is  with  the  treasure 
of  this  wonderful  doctrine.  Every  prayer  is  fulfilled  and 
naught  is  wanting.  Moreover,  from  distant  India  it  has 
extended  hither  to  the  three  Han,  where  there  are  none  who 
do  not  receive  it  with  reverence  as  it  is  preached  to  them. 
Thy  servant,  therefore,  Myong,  King  of  Pekche,  has  humbly 
dispatched  his  retainer  to  transmit  it  to  the  Imperial 
Country,  and  to  diffuse  it  abroad  throughout  the  home 
provinces,  so  as  to  fulfil  the  recorded  saying  of  Buddha : 
‘ My  law  shall  spread  to  the  East.  ’ ” 

The  Emperor,  on  hearing  these  words,  leaped  for  joy 
and  said — 

“Never  from  former  days  until  now  have  we  had  the 
opportunity  of  listening  to  so  wonderful  a doctrine.” 

He  was,  however,  unable  of  himself  to  decide  so 
weighty  a matter  as  to  whether  the  Buddha,  whose  coun- 
tenance was  of  a dignity  such  as  had  never  been  seen 
before,  should  be  worshipped  or  not,  and  he  therefore 
submitted  the  decision  to  the  three  chief  councillors  of 
his  Court.  The  chief  priest,  Nakatomi,  and  another, 
thought  that  if  foreign  Deities  were  preferred  to  the 
National  Gods,  the  country  would  suffer.  Soga  asked, 
“Shall  the  land  of  Yamato  alone  refuse  to  worship  the 
God  that  is  accepted  by  all  the  Western  lands?”  So 
the  image  was  given  to  Soga  to  worship  as  an  experi- 

is  one  of  the  greatest  Buddhist  foundations  in  Japan.  The  image  is 
enclosed  in  a series  of  boxes,  fitting  into  each  other,  only  the  outward 
one  of  which  can  be  seen. 


THE  DAWN  OF  HISTORY 


63 


ment.  The  results  were  dire;  Soga  retired  from  the 
world  and  built  a temple  for  the  image.  Then  a pesti- 
lence broke  out  in  the  land,  and  there  was  great  mortal- 
ity among  the  people.  It  was  ascribed  by  the  other  two 
councillors  to  the  rejection  of  their  advice,  and,  as  no 
remedy  could  be  found  for  the  pestilence,  it  was  ordered 
that  the  image  should  be  destroyed.  The  temple  con- 
taining it  was  therefore  burnt,  and  the  image  thrown 
into  the  river  at  Osaka.  Then  lightning  fell  from  a 
cloudless  sky  and  consumed  the  Imperial  Palace,  and 
the  two  evil  councillors  perished  along  with  the  Palace. 
The  image  was  then  recovered  from  the  river,  and  Soga 
permitted  to  build  a new  temple  for  it.  In  the  following 
year  Buddhistic  chants  were  heard  from  the  sea  at 
Izumi,  and  when  investigation  was  made  as  to  their 
origin,  a log  of  camphor-wood  was  found  floating  on  the 
surface.  The  Emperor  ordered  two  images  of  Buddha 
to  be  made  from  it,  and  priests  were  brought  from 
Korea  to  expound  the  doctrine.  The  Emperor’s  reign 
lasted  for  another  eighteen  years,  but  no  further  attempt 
was  made  by  him  to  extend  the  new  religion,  and  its 
feeble  life  was  only  kept  in  being  by  the  reverence  of 
the  first  great  convert,  Soga. 

In  the  following  reign,  Bidatsu  (572-585),  two  more 
images  were  brought  from  Korea — one  of  Buddha  and 
one  of  Miroku — the  Buddhist  Messiah — and  were  taken 
in  charge  by  Soga  no  Niame,  the  son  of  Soga  no 
Umako,  who  enshrined  them  in  a temple,  and  had  three 
young  nuns  instructed  in  the  Buddhist  offices,  so  that 
they  might  be  competent  to  serve  the  temple.  Pesti- 
lence again  broke  out,  and  the  nation  was  in  danger  of 
extinction,  and  once  more  the  Emperor,  warned  by  the 
consequences  of  his  impiety  in  permitting  Soga  to 
continue  his  idolatrous  services,  yielded  as  his  prede- 
cessor had  done,  and  ordered  that  Buddhism  should  be 
discontinued.  The  Temple  was  again  burned,  and  the 
nuns  stripped  of  their  vestments  and  flogged  at  the  road- 


64 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


side,  and  the  original  image  once  more  thrown  into  the 
river.  Attempts  had  been  made  to  burn  it,  but  it  resisted 
the  flames;  and  to  smash  it  with  iron  sledge  hammers, 
but  it  was  the  hammers  that  were  broken,  while  the 
image  remained  uninjured.  The  pestilence  continued, 
and  the  land  was  again  filled  with  the  dying.  The 
Emperor  himself  was  at  last  attacked,  and,  as  he  was 
dying,  he  was  told  that  his  want  of  faith  was  the  cause 
of  his  illness.  So  he  gave  permission  to  Soga  alone  to 
practise  the  Buddhist  religion,  and  permitted  him  to 
rebuild  the  Temple  and  to  call  back  and  restore  the  dis- 
honoured nuns  to  their  old  service.  For  seventeen 
years  the  image  lay  in  the  river  bed  where  it  had  been 
thrown,  and  then  it  was  recovered  by  a native  of  Shin- 
ano,  who  took  it  to  his  own  home,  and  he  and  his 
descendants  cared  for  it  for  fifty  years,  when  the  great 
Temple  of  Zenkoji  was  built  at  Nagano  by  the  Empress 
Kogioku.  There  the  image  remains  till  this  day,  and 
tens  of  thousands  of  pilgrims  annually  come  from  the 
most  remote  parts  of  the  Empire  to  do  reverence  to  it. 

During  the  reigns  of  Bidatsu  and  hisi  successors, 
Yomei  (585-587)  and  Sujun  (588-592),  Buddhism, 
though  making  little  headway  in  the  Court,  spread 
widely  among  the  people.  Priests  and  nuns  were  sent 
from  Japan  to  Korea  to  study,  and  Korean  monks  in 
their  turn  came  to  Japan,  together  with  nuns,  architects 
and  image  makers,  and  a successful  proselytizing  cam- 
paign was  carried  on,  which  brought  thousands  of  the 
people  within  the  folds  of  the  new  Church.  But  it  was 
not  until  the  reign  of  the  Empress  Suiko  (593-628),  the 
first  woman  to  occupy  the  Imperial  throne,  that  its 
future  prosperity  became  assured  by  the  conversion  of 
the  Empress  and  her  principal  minister  and  champion. 
The  Empress  was  the  daughter  of  the  Emperor  Kimmei 
(539-571),  a sister  both  of  Yomei  and  also  of  Sujun, 
and  the  widow  of  Bidatsu,  her  half-brother,  so  that 
she  was  closely  related  to  all  her  predecessors.  Her 


THE  DAWN  OF  HISTORY 


65 


immediate  predecessor  was  assassinated  and  left  no  chil- 
dren, so  that  there  was  no  male  left  to  fill  the  succession, 
and  the  Empress,  after  three  refusals,  at  last  listened 
to  the  prayers  of  the  ministers  and  assumed  the  Imperial 
dignity.  Her  appearance  was  beautiful  and  her  conduct 
irreproachable. 

In  the  preceding  reign,  Moriji,  the  Omuraji  or  chief 
of  the  clan  Mononobe,  one  of  the  chief  councillors, 
opposed  the  Emperor’s  accession,  wishing  that  the 
throne  should  be  given  to  another  Prince,  the  son  of  the 
Emperor  Senkwa  (536-539),  and  formed  a plot  to  carry 
out  his  purpose.  The  plot  was  discovered  and  the 
Prince  arrested  and  executed,  but  the  Omuraji,  who  had 
a large  following,  withdrew  to  Shibukawa  in  Kawachi, 
and  established  himself  in  a strongly  fortified  position, 
where  he  met  the  attack  of  the  Imperial  army  which 
was  sent  against  him.  The  attack  was  three  times 
repulsed.  One  of  the  younger  Princes  serving  in  the 
Imperial  army  was  Mumayado,  still  a mere  youth  of 
sixteen  years,  but  already  a sincere  Buddhist  and  a 
valiant  soldier.  When  the  third  repulse  took  place,  he 
pondered  deeply  on  its  cause  and  said,  “Without  prayer 
we  cannot  succeed.”  So  he  carved  an  image  of  the  four 
Deva  Kings,  the  Buddhist  guardians  of  the  world 
against  evil  spirits,  and  placed  it  in  his  queue,  and 
gave  all  his  own  personal  followers  pictures  of  the 
Kings  to  wear  upon  their  armour.  Then,  having  vowed 
if  successful  to  erect  a temple  and  pagoda  in  honour  of 
the  Kings,  he  led  his  own  men  at  the  head  of  a fourth 
attack.  This  time  it  succeeded.  The  Omuraji  himself 
ascended  a tree,  from  which  he  directed  the  movements 
of  his  soldiers;  but  an  arrow  fired  by  an  expert  archer, 
under  Mumayado’s  own  directions,  pierced  his  breast, 
and  he  fell  dead  to  the  ground.  Then  his  army,  their 
leader  gone,  broke  and  fled,  and  the  victory  was  won 
by  the  piety  and  valour  of  Mumayado.  This  was  the 
first  exploit  of  a prince  who,  as  soldier,  statesman  and 

F 


66 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


propagandist,  was  destined  to  be  the  founder  of  civilized 
Japan,  whose  life  marked  the  passing  of  the  last  linger- 
ing stages  of  barbarism  from  the  land  of  the  Gods,  and 
the  firm  establishment  of  a religion  that  became  a 
guidance  and  influence  for  thirteen  hundred  years. 

The  Prince,  who  was  born  in  572,  was  the  so,n  of  the 
Emperor  Yomei,  his  father  and  mother  the  Empress, 
being  half-brother  and  sister,  the  children  of  the  same 
father  by  different  mothers.  One  day,  when  his  mother 
was  making  a visit  of  inspection  round  the  Palace 
grounds,  his  birth  suddenly  took  place  at  the  entrance 
of  the  Imperial  stables,  and  the  name  of  Mumayado 
(“stable  door”)  was  accordingly  given  to  him.  He  is, 
however,  known  to  history  by  his  posthumous  name  of 
Shotoku  Daishi  (“great  apostle  of  true  virtue”).  When 
this  name  was  conferred  on  him,  the  Buddhist  priests, 
dissatisfied  with  the  more  prosaic  story  of  his  birth,  ac- 
counted for  all  his  virtues  by  giving  him  a semi-divine 
descent,  not  from  the  ancient  Gods  of  Japan — which, 
being  the  son  of  an  Emperor,  and  therefore  a direct 
descendant  of  the  Sun  Goddess,  he  could  claim  already — 
but  from  a Buddhist  divinity.  They  said  that  one  day 
as  his  mother  slept  the  God  Kwannon  1 appeared  to  her 
in  a dream  and  said  that  he  would  be  born  again  through 
her  to  save  the  world.  He  then  entered  her  mouth  and 
she  became  pregnant,  and  the  child  that  was  born  at  the 
stable  door  was  really  the  incarnation  of  the  God. 

Be  it  as  it  may,  the  child  from  its  earliest  years  gave 
marked  evidence  of  both  piety  and  intelligence  of  a high 
degree.  He  was  able  to  speak  when  only  four  months 
old,  and  when  little  over  a year  he  voluntarily  knelt 
towards  the  East  and,  with  clasped  hands,  repeated  the 
holy  invocation  to  Buddha,  and  when  his  hands  were 
opened  they  were  found  to  contain  a holy  relic  of 
Buddha’s  body.  As  he  grew  in  years  the  promise  of 

1 The  Buddhist  God  of  Mercy,  more  frequently,  however,  spoken  of 
and  worshipped  as  a goddess. 


THE  DAWN  OF  HISTORY 


G7 


his  childhood  was  more  than  fulfilled.  He  studied  and 
acquired  a complete  knowledge  of  the  Buddhist  doctrine 
and  the  Chinese  classics,  and  as  his  intelligence  and 
wisdom  were  equal  to  his  industry,  his  judgment  never 
failed,  and  “he  could  attend  to  the  suits  of  ten  men  at 
one  time  and  decide  all  without  error.” 

The  Prince  served  the  new  Empress,  «his  aunt, 
throughout  the  first  twenty-nine  years  of  her  reign,  and 
during  all  these  years  he  was  her  prime  minister,  her 
trusted  friend  and  the  inspirer  of  all  her  policy.  As 
might  be  expected  from  the  story  of  his  childhood,  his 
influence  was  from  the  first  exerted  in  favour  of  Buddh- 
ism, and  the  Empress,  yielding  to  it,  became  the  most 
zealous  convert.  She  ordered  that  everything  should 
be  done  to  promote  the  three  treasures,  Buddha,  the 
Law  and  the  Priesthood,  and  thenceforward  nobles  and 
people  alike  vied  with  each  other  in  erecting  temples 
and  doing  honour  to  the  new  religion.  Mumayado 
himself  was  among  the  foremost.  He  fulfilled  the  vow 
he  had  made  in  his  first  battle  against  the  traitorous 
Omuraji  by  building  the  Temple  of  Tennoji  in  Osaka, 
a temple  which,  many  times  destroyed  during  the  civil 
wars  of  the  Middle  Ages,  was  always  piously  rebuilt 
with  increased  magnificence,  which  at  the  present  day 
still  remains  one  of  the  greatest  Buddhist  foundations 
in  Japan.  The  holy  relic  of  Buddha’s  body,  the  pupil 
of  the  left  eye,  which  was  found  in  Mumayado’s  hands, 
was  reverently  deposited  in  the  monastery  of  Horiuji, 
specially  built  by  the  Prince  to  receive  it,  half-way 
between  Nara  and  Osaka,  close  to  the  maple-clad  banks 
of  the  river  Tatsuta,  the  joy  of  painters  and  poets,  who 
equally  love  to  depict  their  autumn  glories.  Many  new 
buildings  were  added  to  the  monastery  from  time  to 
time  in  succeeding  centuries,  but  the  original  building 
remains  to  this  day,  the  oldest  existing  type  of  Buddhist 
architecture  in  the  Empire,  having  survived  all  the  civil 
wars  and  general  ruin  that  temporarily  fell  both  on 


68 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Buddhist  priests  and  temples  in  the  sixteenth  century, 
when  both  were  victims  of  a merciless  crusade.  The 
monastery  is  a holy  spot  not  only  to  Buddhist  devotees, 
to  pilgrims  to  the  shrine  of  one  of  the  greatest  national 
heroes,  but  to  antiquaries.  Many  of  the  decorations 
placed  in  it  when  it  was  built  still  survive;  some  alleged 
to  be  the  work  of  Mumayado’s  own  hands,  for  he  was 
both  a sculptor  and  a painter  himself,  as  well  as  soldier 
and  devotee ; some  the  work  of  the  best  Korean  and 
Chinese  artists  of  the  time,  when  Japanese  art  was  still 
at  a very  low  state  of  development ; some  depicting 
incidents  in  the  life  of  the  founder;  some  subjects 
sacred  in  Buddhism ; but  one  and  all  a joy  to  both  the 
antiquarian  and  the  artist.  Touching  evidence  is  given 
of  the  faith  of  true  believers  in  the  swords  and  mirrors 
that  in  heaps  encumber  one  part  of  the  temple.  The 
sword  was  the  dearest  possession  of  a samurai,  the 
mirror  the  dearest  possession  of  a woman,  not  so  much 
as  a medium  through  which  she  can  rejoice  in  her  own 
beauty,  but  as  the  symbol  of  the  Sun  Goddess  whom 
she  worships,  Both  have  been  freely  sacrificed  here  as 
thank-offerings  for  prayers  answered  by  the  Gods  for 
the  restoration  of  the  givers  to  health  after  long  and 
serious  illness.1 

As  a statesman,  Prince  Mumayado  left  an  impress 
on  his  country  which  was  but  little  less  marked  than 
that  of  his  religious  propagandism.  He  was  nominated 
Prince  Imperial,  heir-apparent  to  the  throne,  very  early 
in  the  reign,  and,  enjoying  all  the  confidence  of  his 
Imperial  Mistress,  Was  entrusted  with  full  control  over 
the  administration,  and  he  used  his  powers  to  lead  Japan 
further  onward  in  the  paths  of  civilization  of  China. 

1 It  is  now  thirty-five  years  since  the  present  writer  last  visited  the 
monastery,  and  it  had  already  then  begun  to  suffer  from  the  spirit  of 
vandalism  that  was  prevalent  among  Japanese  during  the  seventies  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  when  they  thought  that  neglect  or  even 
destruction  of  their  own  historical  monuments,  and  even  of  works  of 


THE  DAWN  OF  HISTORY 


69 


The  best  teachers  were  encouraged  by  the  gift  of  rank 
of  high  degree,  sufficiently  high  to  enable  them  to  claim 
enrolment  in  the  nobility,  to  immigrate  both  from  China 
and  Korea.  They  brought  with  them  books  on  astro- 
nomy, the  calendar,  geography  and  medicine,  and 
students  were  assigned  to  them  to  be  perfected  in  these 
sciences  by  their  teaching.  Teachers  of  magic  and 
sorcery  also  appeared  among  the  tribute  bearers  from 
Korea,  and  the  tribute  included  gifts  of  magpies  and 
peacocks  among  more  substantial  items.  An  embassy 
came  from  China,  and  was  received  with  all  the  public 
honours  and  ceremonial  that  is  given  by  a civilized 
nation  to  the  accredited  representative  of  a friendly 
sovereign.  Two  months  were  occupied  in  its  journey 
from  Kiushiu  to  Naniwa  (Osaka),  but  there  it  was  met 
and  conveyed  up  the  river  in  gaily  decorated  boats. 
When  the  embassy  landed,  it  was  received  by  high 
officers  of  the  Court  specially  appointed  to  entertain  it, 
and  at  the  reception  by  the  Empress  all  her  princes 
and  ministers  wore  golden  head-dresses  and  were  arrayed 
in  embroidered  robes  of  brocade  or  silk.  Prior  to  this 
the  Chinese  system  of  classification  of  official  ranks  in 
twelve  degrees  had  been  adopted,  and  officials  were,  dis- 
tinguished, as  in  China,  by  the  colour  of  their  caps.  A 
code  of  laws  was,  for  the  first  time  in  Japanese  history, 
drawn  up  by  the  Prince  Imperial  with  his  own  hand, 
embodying  the  best  principles  of  Chinese  philosophy, 
and  laying  down  those  under  which  the  administration 
should  be  conducted,  and  these  laws  serve  to  the  present 
day  as  guides  for  the  moral  conduct  of  the  state  officers 
in  their  relations  with  the  people. 

art,  was  the  best  way  to  manifest  their  devotion  to  Western  civilization. 
It  was  seriously  contemplated  by  them  at  one  time  in  that  period  to 
melt  down  the  great  statue  of  “ Dai  Butsu”  at  Kamakura,  the  grand- 
est statue  in  the  world,  for  the  sake  of  the  gold,  silver  and  copper  of 
which  it  is  composed,  and  they  were  only  prevented  from  doing  so  by 
the  vigorous  remonstrances  of  Europeans  in  Japan. 


70 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


One  story,  which  has  many  parallels  in  European 
history,  may  be  told  to  illustrate  the  benevolence  of  the 
Prince.  Once  when  he  was  on  a journey  he  found  a 
starving  beggar  lying  by  the  road  in  so  great  a state 
of  exhaustion  that  he  could  not  even  tell  his  name.  The 
Prince  gave  him  food  and  drink,  and  taking  off  his  own 
cloak,  wrapped  it  round  the  starving  man,  saying  to 
him,  “ Lie  in  peace.”  Next  day  a messenger  was  sent 
to  see  after  him,  and  they  found  that  he  was  dead.  So 
the  Prince  had  him  buried.  Many  days  afterwards  he 
again  sent  to  inspect  the  tomb.  The  earth  was  undis- 
turbed, but  the  tomb  was  empty.  There  was  nothing  in 
it  but  the  coffin,  with  the  cloak  laid  neatly  folded  on  top 
of  it.  So  the  Prince  knew  that  it  was  no  ordinary  man 
whom  he  had  relieved,  and  he  wore  the  mantle  as  he 
had  done  before. 

When  he  died  all  the  people  mourned  his  loss. 

“All  the  princes  and  people  of  the  Empire  filled  the  ways 
with  the  sound  of  their  lamenting,  the  old  as  if  they  had 
lost  a dear  child,  the  young  as  if  they  had  lost  a beloved 
parent.  The  farmer  ceased  from  his  plough  and  the  pound- 
ing woman  laid  down  her  pestle.  They  all  said  : ‘ The  sun 
and  the  moon  have  lost  their  brightness.  Heaven  and  Earth 
have  crumbled  to  ruin — henceforward  in  whom  shall  we  put 
our  trust?  ’ ” 

He  left  behind  him  peace  where  he  had  found  strife 
and  anarchy,  the  light  of  civilization  in  the  place  of  the 
darkness  of  semi-barbarism,  the  knowledge  and  practice 
of  art  and  science  where  there  had  been  none  before, 
reverential  observance  of  a religion  which  was  destined 
to  mould  the  character  of  his  countrymen  for  more  than 
a thousand  years.  He  was  a great  and  successful  re- 
former, worthy  to  take  a place  in  history  no  less  distin- 
guished than  posterity  may  hereafter  assign  to  the 
statesmen  who  have  made  the  New  japan  of  the 
Emperor  who  is  now  on  the  throne. 


CHAPTER  V 


NARA,  HEIAN  AND  THE  FUJIWARA 

Prince  Mumayado  died  in  the  year  621,  and  the 
Empress  whom  he  had  served  so  well  followed  him  seven 
years  afterwards.  One  event  only  need  be  noticed  in  the 
reign  of  her  successor  Jomei  (628-641),  a rebellion  of 
the  barbarians  on  the  Northern  Frontier,  a common 
enough  occurrence,  only  to  be  distinguished  from  many 
others  by  the  part  played  in  it  by  women,  who  gave 
one  of  the  many  illustrations  of  female  courage  and 
fortitude  that  are  prominent  through  all  the  Japanese 
history. 

The  general  who  was  appointed  to  suppress  the  rebel- 
lion was  defeated  and  forced  to  intrench  himself  against 
the  barbarians  who  vigorously  besieged  him.  His  sol- 
diers defeated  and  dispirited,  deserted  and  left  almost 
alone,  the  general  was  on  the  point  of  following  their 
example,  and  was  actually  climbing  the  stockade  at 
night  to  make  his  own  escape,  when  his  wife  interfered. 
She  taunted  him  with  the  disgrace  that  he  was  about 
to  bring  on  a family  of  soldiers ; then  she  took  his  sword 
herself,  gathered  all  the  women  in  the  camp  around  her, 
and  made  them  all  vigorously  twang  the  bow-strings, 
so  the  barbarians  thought  there  was  still  an  army  behind 
the  defences,  and  did  not  press  the  attack.  The  General, 
whom  his  wife  had  restored  not  only  by  her  example 
but  with  draughts  of  wine,  took  heart  again,  got  some 
of  his  lurking  soldiers  together  and  turned  defeat  into 
victory.  History  unfortunately  records  only  the  name 

71 


72 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


of  the  husband,  and  leaves  both  name  and  parentage  of 
the  heroic  wife  unmentioned  and  unnoticed. 

Jomei  was  succeeded  by  another  Empress  Kogiyoku 
(642-645).  Since  the  introduction  of  Buddhism  the 
Soga  family,  the  head  of  which  had  from  the  first  given 
his  wholehearted  influence  in  favour  of  the  new  religion, 
and  had  suffered  persecution  for  its  sake,  had,  in  keep- 
ing with  its  spread,  steadily  grown  in  power  and  dignity, 
and  the  chief  Ministership  of  the  Sovereign  had  become 
hereditary  in  the  family.  The  Nakatomi,  the  descend- 
ants of  Ama  tsu  Koyane,  were  still  the  hereditary  High 
Priests  of  the  old  national  religion,  “the  way  of  the 
Gods,”,  and  their  conduct  gave  rise  to  the  saying,  “In 
Heaven  there  are  not  two  suns,  there  cannot  be  two 
sovereigns  on  earth.”  Their  pride  grew  apace  with  their 
dignity.  They  aspired  to  control  the  succession  to  the 
throne;  they  built  mausoleums  on  a scale  of  Imperial 
grandeur  for  themselves,  commanding  forced  labour  for 
the  purpose,  styled  their  children  Princes  and  Princesses, 
maintained  an  armed  guard  at  their  residences,  which 
they  called  palaces,  and  were  always  attended  by  armed 
guards  in  their  goings  out.  They  hated  the  Soga  both 
as  the  apostles  of  the  rival  religion  and  as  powers  who 
held  the  highest  civil  offices  of  the  court.  They  readily 
took  part,  therefore,  in  a plot  for  the  assassination  of 
the  two  heads  of  the  Soga  house,  father  and  son.  The 
son  was  murdered  in  the  Empress’s  presence.  The 
father  was  then  deserted  by  his  guards,  and  taken  and 
executed.  Thenceforward  the  Nakatomi  rose  to  civil  as 
well  as  ecclesiastical  dignity  and  power,  and  the  founda- 
tions were  laid  of  the  control  which  they  were  fated  to 
exercise  over  the  destinies  of  the  Empire  for  400  years. 
The  Empress  Kogiyoku  abdicated  in  favour  of  her 
younger  brother  Kotoku  in  645.  He  reigned  for  nine 
years — a period  of  great  administrative  reform,  and 
when  he  died,  although  he  left  sons,  Kogiyoku,  though 


NARA,  HEIAN  AND  THE  FUJIWARA 


73 


now  sixty-two  years  of  age,  again  ascended  the  throne, 
on  this  occasion  under  the  title  of  Saimei.  She  was  the 
great-granddaughter  of  the  Emperor  Bidatsu,  the  Em- 
press Consort  of  Jomei,  the  sister  of  Kotoku,  the  mother 
of  her  successor  Tenchi,  and  twice  reigned  as  Empress 
herself.  No  other  lady  in  Japanese  history  had  so  long 
and  close  a connection  with  the  throne.  When  abdicat- 
ing in  favour  of  her  brother  she  at  the  same  time 
nominated  her  son  Prince  Imperial  (heir-apparent),  and 
he  held  this  rank,  both  through  Kotoku’s  and  her  own 
second  reign,  and  therefore  exercised  considerable 
influence  in  the  administration.  All  his  influence,  both 
when  Prince  Imperial  and  subsequently  when  on  the 
throne  as  the  Emperor  Tenchi  (668-671),  was  exercised 
in  favour  of  the  haughty  Nakatomi  family,  whose  first 
ancestor  came  down  from  Heaven  with  the  grandson 
of  the  Sun  Goddess.  In  virtue  of  the  charge  given  by 
the  Sun  Goddess  to  their  heavenly  ancestor  to  attend 
upon  the  sacred  mirror,  the  Nakatomi  were  the 
hereditary  high  priests  of  the  Empire.  The  Emperor 
Tenchi  was  personally  devoted  to  Kamatari,  the  head 
of  the  family,  the  twenty-first  in  the  direct  line  of 
descent  from  their  Heavenly  Ancestor,  both  during  his 
own  and  the  three  preceding  reigns,  and  when  he 
came  to  the  throne  and  became  himself  the  fount  of 
honour,  he  conferred  on  Kamatari  the  office  of  Daijin, 
the  highest  civil  dignity  in  the  state,  and  the  surname  of 
Fujiwara,  Wisteria  field,  thus  founding  the  great  house 
of  the  Fujiwara,  whose  family  crest  is  the  Wisteria.  The 
honour  was  well  bestowed.  The  path  to  honour  was  in 
the  early  history  of  Japan  too  often  cleared  by  assassina- 
tion to  attach  any  lasting  stigma  to  one  who  had  success- 
fully used  that  means  for  his  own  aggrandisement,  and 
Kamatari  used  his  powers  wisely  and  beneficently,  light- 
ening the  taxation  of  the  people,  preventing  the  abuse  of 
forced  labour  and  instituting  valued  reforms  in  the 


74 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


administration.  .His  successors,  for  many  generations, 
were  worthy  descendants  of  the  founder  of  their  family, 
and  not  only  kept  a firm  grasp  on  the  dignity  which  he 
won  and  transmitted  to  them,  but  amplified  it  far  beyond 
what  he  in  his  wildest  dreams  of  ambition  ever  con- 
templated. They  added  to  it  that  of  Kuambaku.  The 
precise  meaning  of  the  word  “Kuambaku”  is  “to  be 
charged  with  and  to  represent,”  and  the  holder  of  the 
office  of  that  name  is  the  recognized  medium  of  com- 
munication between  the  Sovereign  and  his  subjects.  The 
office  became  hereditary  in  the  Fujiwara  family,  and  as 
it  included  in  its  prerogatives  the  regency  of  the  Empire 
during  the  minority  of  an  Emperor,  they  gradually 
acquired  an  influence  second  only  to  that  of  the  throne. 
At  first  this  influence  was  used  honestly  as  well  as 
wisely,  but  as  time  went  on,  their  lust  and  pride  of  power 
grew  so  extravagant  that  the  throne  became  practically 
entirely  subordinate  to  them  as  far  as  the  exercise  of  all 
executive  authority  was  concerned.  The  successive 
Emperors  still  remained  the  nominal  heads  of  the  State, 
the  sole  legal  founts  of  honour  and  power,  but  under 
the  influence  of  the  Fujiwara  they  were  reduced  to 
nullities. 

One  of  the  results  of  the  introduction  of  Chinese  civil- 
ization was  the  practice  of  abdication  which  became  wide- 
spread through  the  nation,  and  while  in  the  early  cen- 
turies it  had  its  first  observance  and  was  most  marked  in 
the  case  of  the  throne,  it  subsequently  became  a national 
custom  among  all  classes  and  ranks,  from  the  throne  and 
the  greatest  houses  of  the  nobility  down  to  the  humblest 
shopkeepers,  which  continues  in  full  force  till  the  present 
day.  Until  the  introduction  of  Chinese  civilization, 
Emperors  reigned  in  Japan  till  their  deaths.  The  doc- 
trine of  Buddhism  is  that  perfect  peace  and  happiness 
can  only  be  obtained  in  solitude  and  meditation,  and  the 
Buddhist  devotees  seek  the  opportunity  for  both  in  the 


NARA,  HEIAN  AND  THE  FUJIWARA  75 


complete  withdrawal  from  the  cares  and  anxieties  of  life 
and  family. 

In  the  case  of  the  throne,  the  teaching  of  the  doctrine 
was  first  followed  by  the  five  Empresses  of  the  sixth, 
seventh  and  eighth  centuries,  each  one  of  whom  gave  up 
the  throne  in  her  lifetime  to  her  successor  and  retired  into 
private  life,  to  spend  her  last  days  in  religious  medita- 
tion. The  first  Emperor  to  follow  their  example  was 
Shomu  (724-749),  who  abdicated  in  favour  of  his 
daughter  Koken  (749-759),  but  lived  for  seven  years 
afterwards,  all  of  which  were  devoted  to  the  practice  of 
the  ceremonies  of  the  Buddhist  Church,  and  his  example 
was  followed  in  the  succeeding  century  by  no  less  than 
six  out  of  the  ten  Emperors  who  reigned.  At  first,  the 
abdications  were  entirely  voluntary,  and  their  real  as 
well  as  their  ostensible  object  was  the  attainment  of 
leisure  to  be  devoted  to  religion,  but  as  time  went  on, 
there  were  sovereigns  who  wished  to  retain  the  power  of 
the  throne  and  at  the  same  time  to  be  free  from  its  most 
oppressive  claims  and  responsibilities;  who,  therefore, 
outwardly  abdicated  but  continued  to  direct,  from  their 
supposed  monastic  or  rural  seclusion,  the  affairs  of  the 
State  with  as  much  energy  and  thoroughness  as  they 
had  done  when  on  the  throne.  The  first  instance  of  this 
was  the  Emperor  Shirakawa  (1073-1087),  and  a very 
striking  instance  of  it  in  comparatively  modern  times 
was  furnished  by  Iyeyasu,  the  founder  of  the  Tokugawa 
Shoguns  at  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
Emperors  who  took  this  course  were  known  as  Ho-O, 
or  cloistered  Emperors.  The  practice  gradually  grew  to 
such  an  extent  that  there  were  several  occasions  in 
Japanese  history  in  which  two,  and  on  one  occasion  at 
least,  five  Emperors  as  well  as  the  Emperor  on  the 
throne  were  living  at  one  and  the  same  time. 

At  first  the  practice  was  entirely  voluntary  on  the  part 
of  those  who  followed  it,  but  it  will  be  easily  seen  that 


76 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


cases  might  arise  in  which  an  iron-willed  minister  of 
state  who,  as  regent  of  the  Empire,  acquired  a strong 
influence  over  a sovereign  during  his  minority,  could, 
when  it  suited  his  purpose,  force  the  sovereign,  however 
unwilling  he  might  be,  to  abdicate  after  his  arrival  at 
manhood,  before  he  had  time  to  realize  his  own  strength 
or  prerogatives.  Thus  it  was  with  the  Fujiwara.  First, 
their  great  services  and  merits  gave  them  influence  on 
the  throne.  Then  they  used  this  influence  to  further 
consolidate  their  power  by  marrying  daughters  of  the 
family  both  to  the  Emperors  and  to  the  princes  of  the 
Imperial  line,  so  that  they  acquired  a strong  family  as 
well  as  an  official  connection  with  the  throne,  and  had 
all  the  influence  on  its  occupants  that  can  be  given  by 
near  relationship  as  well  as  by  hereditary  office  and 
strong  will.  While  the  Emperors  were  young,  they  were 
easily  moulded  to  the  wishes  of  the  chief  of  the  Fujiwara 
of  the  time,  and  if  when  they  arrived  at  manhood  they 
gave  the  least  sign  of  independently  asserting  their  own 
prerogatives,  they  were  promptly  forced  to  abdicate,  and 
the  throne  given  to  a boy,  perhaps  even  a child,  who 
would  again  implicitly  submit  to  the  dictation  of  the 
hereditary  regent,  who  was  also  either  the  boy  Emperor’s 
grandfather  or  his  uncle  on  the  mother’s  side. 

The  annals  of  the  Emperors  show  how  frequently  and 
unscrupulously  the  Fujiwara  availed  themselves  of  their 
power  in  this  way.  The  Emperor  Seiwa  (859-877)  began 
to  reign  at  the  age  of  ten,  and  abdicated  at  twenty- 
eight  years  of  age.  His  successor  Yozei  (877-885)  began 
at  ten  years  of  age,  and  abdicated  at  eighteen,  and  the 
corresponding  ages  of  subsequent  Emperors  were 
Reizei  (968-970),  eighteen  and  twenty;  Enyu  (970-985), 
twelve  and  twenty-six ; Kwazan  (985-987),  seventeen 
and  nineteen;  Toba  (1108-1124),  six  and  twenty-two. 
With  Emperors  such  as  these  boys,  the  Fujiwara  had  no 
difficulty  in  arrogating  to  themselves  all  the  real  power 


NARA,  HEIAN  AND  THE  FUJI  WAR  A 77 


of  the  state,  and  they  used  their  power  entirely  for 
the  advancement  of  their  own  family.  No  one  could 
hope  for  any  office  in  the  state,  for  either  honour  or 
titles,  who  was  not  of  the  Fujiwara  blood,  and  gradually 
the  whole  of  the  national  executive  was  converted  into  a 
Fujiwara  preserve.  The  head  of  the  family,  always 
either  regent  or  first  minister,  at  the  same  time  extended 
his  own  prerogatives.  Every  subject,  according  to  the 
unwritten  constitution  of  old  Japan,  had  the  right  of 
appealing  direct  to  the  Emperor,  and  so  much  was  this 
recognized  that  a box  was  placed  outside  the  palace  gate 
for  the  reception  of  petitions.  The  Fujiwara  assumed 
the  right  of  opening  all,  and  of  either  rejecting  them  at 
once  or  submitting  them  to  the  Emperors  as  they 
pleased.  None,  whether  high  or  low,  could  approach 
the  Emperor  except  through  them.  They  became  a 
barrier  between  the  Emperor  and  his  people  over  which 
neither  could  pass,  and  the  Emperors,  bereft  of  all  real 
power,  were  reduced  to  mere  faineants,  voluptuaries  or 
dilettanti,  who  passed  all  their  time  among  the  women 
of  the  court  or  in  the  cultivation  of  art  or  literature,  in 
any  way  except  in  the  vigorous  and  active  discharge  of 
their  duties  as  rulers  of  their  Empire.  They  were  lost 
to  their  people,  and  though  surrounded  with  all  the 
outward  marks  of  honour  and  dignity,  they  became  mere 
prisoners  in  their  palaces,  only  names  to  be  whispered 
with  the  same  reverence  as  were  those  of  the  Gods  of 
Heaven.  The  Fujiwara,  in  the  seventh  and  eighth  cen- 
turies, were  the  first  usurpers  of  the  Imperial  preroga- 
tives, and  the  precedent  which  they  founded  continued 
to  be  followed  without  one  real  break  until  the  accession 
of  the  present  Emperor  to  the  throne  in  1867. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  eighth  century,  in  the  reign 
of  the  Empress  Gemmyb  (708-715),  the  Imperial  palace 
at  last  found  a permanent  site,  and  Nara  became  the 
capital  of  the  Empire.  Its  choice  shows  that,  in  those 


78 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


days,  the  Japanese  had  as  fervent  an  admiration  of  the 
beauties  of  nature  as  their  descendants  of  the  present 
century.  Few  places  in  the  world  are  marked  by 
greater  charms  of  nature.  The  old  town,  now  not  a 
tenth  of  its  former  size,  lies  at  the  base  of  a range  of 
hills  which  rise  gently  from  a richly  cultivated  plain, 
amidst  groves  of  cherry  and  plum  trees,  that  in  spring- 
time glow  with  a mass  of  delicately  tinted  blossoms,  of 
gigantic  cryptomeria,  oaks  and  venerable  pines.  The 
thick  foliage  of  the  groves  is  pleasantly  broken  by  the 
roofs  of  the  temples  and  pagodas  that  owe  their  founda- 
tion to  the  piety  of  the  sovereigns  who  reigned  at  Nara. 
These  were  seven  in  all,  three  of  whom  were  Empresses. 
It  was  the  period  when  the  new  religion  was  in  the  full 
tide  of  its  prosperitv  and  influence,  when  its  doctrines 
found  no  more  faithful  believers,  no  more  devout  fol- 
lowers amidst  its  myriads  of  disciples  throughout  the 
world  than  in  the  Imperial  Court  of  Japan.  Every 
Emperor,  still  more  every  Empress,  gave  all  his  or  her 
best  influence  to  its  encouragement  and  to  its  support, 
and  sought  no  greater  or  higher  glory  than  that  of  pro- 
moting it  among  their  people,  of  doing  honour  to  it  by 
the  erection  of  splendid  temples  in  their  own  capital. 
Nara  lies  outside  the  direct  route  from  Osaka  and  Kioto 
to  Yedo.  It  escaped,  therefore,  much  of  the  destruction 
and  misery  which  so  often  fell  on  other  cities  through 
all  the  long  civil  wars  of  the  middle  ages,  and  it  pre- 
serves to  this  day  many  of  the  features  that  marked  it 
in  what  is  called  the  Nara  period  of  history,  which 
embraces  nearly  the  whole  of  the  eighth  century.  Some 
of  the  temples  that  were  then  erected  still  survive.  All 
that  was  best  in  the  Empire  in  art,  literature,  architec- 
ture were  gathered  there.  All  their  votaries  did  their 
best  to  please  their  devout  sovereigns,  and  for  the  first 
part  of  the  period  there  were  no  wars  to  break  the  calm 
of  lives  consecrated  to  religion. 


NARA,  HEIAN  AND  THE  FUJIWARA  79 


Of  the  sovereigns  of  the  Nara  period  we  need  only 
specifically  mention  one,  the  Emperor  Shomu  (724-749), 
and  him  only  on  account  of  the  vicarious  celebrity  which 
he  enjoys  in  history  through  his  wife,  one  of  the  historic 
women  of  Japan,  renowmed  equally  for  her  dazzling 
beauty,  which  procured  her  the  name  of  Komiyo — 
Splendour — for  her  wit,  intelligence  and  strong  char- 
acter, and  for  her  piety.  When  she  stood  erect  her  hair 
not  only  reached,  but  lay  on  the  ground.  No  church 
ever  had  a more  devoted  believer  and  patron  than  she 
showed  herself  through  all  her  married  life.  Monasteries 
and  convents  were  established  throughout  all  the  land 
either  by  her  or  by  her  husband  at  her  instigation,  and 
he,  under  her  sweet  influence,  was  hardly  less  pious 
than  herself.  A poetess  herself,  she  is  worthily  honoured 
as  one  of  the  greatest  patrons  of  poets  at  a period  which 
is  still  deservedly  known  as  the  Golden  Age  of  Japanese 
poetry.  There  is  only  one  cloud  on  her  memory,  and 
that  is  a delicate  one.  Her  husband  attempted  towards 
the  end  of  his  reign  to  free  himself  from  the  yoke  of  the 
Fujiwara,  and  called  into  his  lay  councils  a monk  named 
Dokio,  his  spiritual  adviser,  still  more  the  spiritual 
adviser  of  the  Empress.  The  pious  monk  is  said  to  have 
broken  his  vows  for  the  sake  of  the  witty  and  lovely  Em- 
press, and,  as  other  great  ladies  have  done  in  other  climes 
and  in  all  ages,  the  Empress  yielded  to  the  love  of  the 
priest.  The  combined  influence  of  both  on  the  Emperor 
was  not  fortunate  either  for  himself  or  for  the  Empire. 
The  Fujiwara  could  not  be  ousted  from  their  power,  and 
the  Emperor,  reduced  to  his  old  thraldom,  was  punished 
by  being  compelled  to  abdicate  in  favour  of  his  daughter 
Koken  (749-758).  An  armed  rising  in  his  favour  was 
attempted  by  others  of  the  nobility  jealous  of  the  Fuji- 
wara, and  the  peace  and  calm  of  Nara  was  broken  by 
civil  war,  which  after  some  vicissitudes  of  fortune, 
served  in  the  end  only  to  rivet  still  more  firmly  than 


80 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


they  had  been  before  the  fetters  of  the  Fujiwara  on  the 
throne. 

In  794,  in  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Kwammu  (782- 
806),  the  capital  was  removed  from  Nara  to  Kioto,  where 
it  remained  till  1868.  The  Empress  was,  as  usual,  one 
of  the  Fujiwara,  and  the  move  was  made  at  their  inspira- 
tion. A castle  was  erected  which  was  called  Heian-jo 
— the  castle  of  peace — and  in  the  first  four  centuries  of 
its  existence  the  new  capital  was  known  as  the  city  of 
Heian,  the  city  of  peace.  These  centuries  are  also  called 
the  Heian  Period  of  history,  which  lasted  from  the 
founding  of  the  capital  till  1 192,  when  the  first  Shogunate 
of  the  Minamoto  family  was  firmly  established  in 
power  at  Kamakura.  Then  the  name  of  Heian  was  lost, 
and  the  Imperial  town  came  to  be  known  simply  as 
Kioto — the  capital. 


CHAPTER  VI 


THE  RISE  OF  THE  TAIRA 

Time  in  its  course  avenged  the  fate  which  the  Fuji- 
wara,  in  their  selfish  greed  for  power,  imposed  on  their 
Emperors.  Secure  in  their  influence  and  great  offices 
at  the  capital,  they  gradually  permitted  themselves  to 
lapse  into  sloth  and  self-indulgence,  and  became  de- 
generate representatives  of  the  strong  and  masterful  men 
who,  in  the  earlier  centuries  of  their  domination,  had 
been  at  the  head  of  their  house,  letting  luxury  and 
effeminacy  take  the  place  of  the  energy  and  virility  that 
first  placed  the  Government  of  the  Empire  in  their 
hands. 

One  of  the  results  of  the  introduction  of  Buddhism 
and  the  wholesale  adoption  of  Chinese  institutions  which 
followed  it  was  the  division  of  the  executive  Govern- 
ment, on  the  Chinese  system,  into  civil  and  military  de- 
partments, the  creation  of  a special  class  of  generals 
who  devoted  themselves  solely  to  military  affairs,  and 
finally,  the  permanent  demarcation  of  the  civil  and 
military  classes  of  the  people.  As  far  as  to  the  seventh 
century  of  the  Christian  era  all  the  freeborn  people, 
without  distinction  of  class,  were  soldiers,  expected  and 
obliged  to  follow  their  Emperor  or  his  generals  when 
their  services  were  required  for  the  subjugation  of  the 
barbarians  on  the  frontiers  or  of  rebels  amongst  their 
own  kin,  or  for  the  military  expeditions  against  one  or 
other  of  the  three  kingdoms  of  Korea,  which  were  not 
infrequent  through  a period  of  400  years.  As  a rule 


82 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


the  Emperor  himself  took  the  chief  command,  but  if 
he  did  not,  it  was  given  to  an  Imperial  Prince  and  never 
to  an  ordinary  subject.  As  the  population  increased,  it 
became  no  longer  necessary  that  all  the  people  should 
answer  every  call  to  arms,  and  on  the  other  hand,  as 
civilization  grew,  a greater  number  was  required  to 
minister  to  the  general  wants  of  the  nation,  the  Court, 
army  and  people,  and  to  devote  themselves  exclusively 
to  productive  labour.  The  soldiers  were  therefore  only 
chosen  from  the  boldest,  strongest  and  most  active  of 
the  population,  who  showed  the  greatest  proficiency  in 
horsemanship  or  archery.  They  were  sent  forth  to  do 
battle  under  a Shogun  or  a general,  and  as  expeditions 
became  more  distant  and  demanded  greater  time  for 
their  accomplishment,  they  became  more  absorbed  in 
their  military  duties,  and  finally  their  character  of 
citizens  was  entirely  merged  in  that  of  professional 
soldiers.  The  less  spirited,  the  physically  weak  and 
unskilled  in  arms,  remained  to  till  the  soil  or  work  at 
the  increasingly  varied  industries.  Less  and  less  de- 
mand was  made  on  them  for  military  service,  so  that 
they  gradually  lost  all  their  old  character  of  soldiers,  and 
a complete  division  was  formed  between  the  military  and 
the  agricultural  and  industrial  classes.  The  enthusiasm 
of  war,  always  natural  to  professional  soldiers,  and  the 
hope  of  plunder  operated  to  keep  the  military  class 
away  from  the  capital  and  induced  them  to  attach  them- 
selves to  the  boldest  and  most  capable  leaders  who  per- 
manently settled  themselves  on  the  lands  on  which  they 
had  fought  and  from  which  they  had  driven  either 
rebels  or  the  original  barbarian  owners.  They  became 
and  called  themselves  soldiers,  and  in  time  began  to 
regard  with  contemptuous  indifference  the  authority  of 
the  weak  civil  Government  of  the  Emperor  at  Kioto, 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  courtiers  looked  down 
upon  them  with  supercilious  pride  as  rough  and  uncouth 


THE  RISE  OF  THE  TAIRA 


83 


provincials  whose  sole  trade  was  fighting.  In  this 
way  the  foundations  came  to  be  laid  of  the  permanent 
social  classification  of  the  entire  Japanese  people, 
which  lasted  in  its  entirety  till  the  Restoration  in  1868, 
and  in  a modified  form,  retaining  to  a great  degree  its 
original  spirit,  has  lasted  until  the  present  day. 

At  the  capital  were  the  Emperor  and  his  court ; the 
Emperor,  however  bereft  of  actual  power,  always  the 
sole  source  of  all  authority  and  the  fountain  of  honour, 
to  whom  every  Shogun  owed  his  appointment,  whose 
sanction  alone  legalized  every  act  done  by  the  Shogun. 
Around  the  Emperor  were  his  courtiers,  the  Kuge,  all 
of  whom  claimed  descent  from  one  of  the  Emperor’s 
predecessors  or,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Fujiwara,  direct 
from  their  own  heavenly  ancestor,  and  therefore  shared 
in  some  degree  the  prestige  of  the  Emperor’s  divine 
descent.  They  were  always  the  very  cream  of  the  haute 
noblesse,  and  though  sunk  in  poverty,  as  they  became 
in  later  days,  when  the  Emperor  was  only  a name  to  his 
people,  they  always  preserved  the  caste  which  rendered 
them  the  immeasurable  superiors  of  the  wealthy  and 
powerful  Daimio,  the  territorial  nobles  of  the  period  of 
feudalism.  The  Shogun  and  the  forerunners  of  the 
Daimio  were  at  first  Kuge,  of  the  same  blood  as  the 
Courtiers,  who  sought  their  sphere  in  military  life,  but, 
in  process  of  time,  in  the  disorganization  of  the  long 
civil  wars  of  the  middle  ages,  when  might  became  right, 
when  only  the  sword  won  and  only  the  sword  could 
keep,  many  self-made  adventurers  found  their  way 
among  them  and  acquired  the  possession  of  fiefs  of 
greater  or  less  extent  which  gave  them  the  rank  of 
Daimios.  The  soldiers  became  the  Samurai,  the  feudal 
retainers  of  the  Daimio,  who  long  monopolized  the  right 
of  wearing  and  using  arms,  and  the  rest  of  the  popula- 
tion sank  to  the  position  of  ministers  to  the  needs  of 
those  above  them,  to  one  or  other  of  the  three  classes 
g ? 


84 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


of  peasants,  artisans  and  traders.  The  drain  of  con- 
tinuous war  in  the  middle  ages  gave  many  of  these 
three  classes  chances  of  filling  vacancies  among  the 
Samurai,  but  from  the  time  when  internal  peace  was 
firmly  established  under  the  Tokugawas,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  there  was  no  more 
depletion  of  the  ranks  of  the  Samurai  by  war,  that 
avenue  of  advancement  was  closed  and  they  became  little 
better  than  serfs  vis-a-vis  the  nobles  and  the  Samurai. 

The  original  unit  of  Society  in  ancient  Japan  was  the 
Uji,  the  family  composed  of  persons  bearing  the  same 
name  and  all  recognizing  the  supreme  authority  of  one 
head  of  the  whole  family  or  house.  In  the  very  earliest 
days,  when  the  population  was  still  scanty,  the  Uji  were 
naturally  few  in  number  and  limited  to  such  families  as 
the  Nakatomi  and  the  Soga ; but,  as  the  descendants  of 
these  families  grew,  the  numbers  in  each  Uji  became 
too  large  and  cumbersome  to  admit  among  them  all  that 
might  rightfully  claim  membership,  either  as  descend- 
ants of  the  first  chief  of  the  family  or  as  sprung  from 
Emperors  who  reigned  subsequently  to  its  formation. 
New  families  were  therefore  founded— or  rather  their 
foundation  was  permitted  by  the  Emperor  from  time  to 
time.  In  this  way  the  Minamoto,  Taira  and  Tachibana 
families  came  into  existence,  all  of  the  very  highest  rank 
among  the  Court  nobility,  though  less  illustrious  than 
the  Fujiwara.  When  members  of  these  families  led 
military  expeditions  to  the  disturbed  quarters  of  the 
Empire  and  followed  their  success  in  tranquillizing  or 
exterminating  the  inhabitants  by  permanently  estab- 
lishing themselves  on  the  conquered  land,  they  took  new 
names  from  the  locality  in  which  each  found  himself. 
In  this  way  the  great  territorial  families  were  for  the 
first  time  established  under  territorial  titles,  such  as 
Hojo,  Ashikaga,  Tokugawa,  etc.,  to  quote  only  such 
as  became  most  prominent  in  subsequent  history.  Each 


THE  RISE  OF  THE  TAIRA 


85 


local  leader  maintained  around  him  the  soldiers  by 
whose  arms  he  had  won  the  land,  and  they,  increasing 
steadily  in  numbers,  united  with  him  to  form  the  local 
Uji  w^hich  came  to  be  known  as  the  Han  or  Clan,  and 
with  their  chief  were  considered  to  form  one  united 
family,  bound  not  only  by  the  ties  of  interest  and 
safety,  but  by  the  fiction  that  all  had  a common  origin 
with  their  chief.  They  became  hereditary  soldiers, 
whose  sole  trade  was  fighting,  who  scorned  all  other 
pursuits. 

As  they  grew  in  numbers  and  strength,  and  as  their 
domains  became  more  distant  from  the  seat  of  the 
capital,  the  authority  over  them  of  the  central  Govern- 
ment perceptibly  weakened,  and,  in  time,  every  Han 
became  a law  unto  itself,  a petty  kingdom,  independent 
in  everything  except  the  loyalty  which  it  owed  to  the 
Emperor.  The  executive  had,  however,  fallen  from  the 
hands  of  the  Emperor  into  those  of  the  Fujiwara.  So 
long  as  the  Fujiwara  were  active,  vigorous  and  master- 
ful, so  long  as  they  preserved  the  characteristics  of  the 
great  founder  of  the  house,  they  were  able  to  exercise 
the  authority  of  the  central  Government  on  the  out- 
lying Han.  But,  as  coincidently  with  the  growth  of 
the  Han,  the  Fujiwara  at  the  capital  became  weak  and 
indolent  and,  yielding  to  the  seductions  of  Court 
luxury,  passed  their  days  in  sensuous  pleasure  to  the 
neglect  of  all  the  executive  functions  which  they  had 
assumed,  the  time  naturally  came  when  the  great  chiefs 
refused  to  brook  even  nominally  the  authority  of  the 
Court  voluptuaries,  and  took  the  affairs  of  state  into 
their  own  hands  with  a powerful  backing  of  the  best 
fighting  men  of  the  Empire  enthusiastically  devoted  to 
them.  They  founded  the  dual  system  of  government, 
based  on  feudalism,  which  reached  its  highest  summit 
of  perfection  under  the  Tokugawa  Shoguns  in  the 
seventeenth  century  and  lasted  until  1868,  when  it  met 


86 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


its  doom  after  seven  hundred  years  existence,  on  the 
downfall  of  the  last  of  the  Tokugawas  and  the  accession 
of  the  present  Emperor  to  the  throne. 

The  Fujiwara,  even  before  they  started  on  their  down- 
ward path,  confined  themselves  mainly  to  civil  offices. 
Every  active  office  in  and  about  the  Court,  every  civil 
post  in  the  executive  was  exclusively  filled  with  mem- 
bers of  their  own  family,  and  to  those  who  were  outside 
the  pale  of  that  family,  the  only  avenue  of  distinction 
that  was  open  was  that  of  military  service.  Two 
families,  both  of  which  traced  their  origin  to  the  Im- 
perial line,  eagerly  seized  upon  the  chance  which  the 
conditions  of  the  times  gave  them.  These  families  were 
the  Minamoto  and  the  Taira,  and  their  history  is,  for 
a hundred  years,  the  history  of  Japan. 

The  Emperor  Kwammu  (782-806),  the  fiftieth  of  the 
line,  had,  by  one  of  his  concubines,  a son,  Prince 
Katsurawara,  who  attained  high  distinction  as  a scholar 
at  the  Court,  and  the  grandson  of  this  prince,  Takamochi, 
was  appointed  military  governor  of  the  Province  of 
Kadzusa  and  the  family  name  of  Taira  conferred  on  him 
by  the  Emperor.  The  history  of  the  family  had  so  far 
been  full  of  honour,  a record  of  distinguished  service  to 
the  Emperor;  but  Masakado,  the  grandson  of  the 
founder  of  the  Taira,  was  destined  to  earn  an  unenviable 
notoriety  in  history  as  a rebel,  the  only  personage  in 
all  the  long  history  of  Japan  who  dared  to  raise 
sacrilegious  eyes  to  the  throne.  Angry  at  the  refusal 
of  the  Fujiwara  to  confer  on  him  a high  office  at  the 
Court,  he  withdrew  to  his  own  military  district  in  the 
Eastern  provinces,  and,  being  a brave  and  capable 
soldier,  he  soon  brought  all  the  Eastern  provinces  under 
his  own  sway.  Then,  establishing  himself  at  Saru- 
gashima  in  Shimosa,  he  founded  a mimic  Court  with  a 
complete  establishment  of  civil  and  military  officials. 
Once  in  his  youth  he  had  looked  down  on  Kioto  from 


THE  RISE  OF  THE  TAIRA 


87 


thesummitof  Mount  Hiyei  and  seen  how  splendid  it  was, 
and  now,  remembering  it  in  the  days  of  his  success,  he 
thought  that  even  the  throne  was  not  outside  the  scope 
of  his  ambition.  A disaffected  member  of  the  Fuji- 
wara  joined  him,  to  whom  he  confided  what  was  in  his 
heart,  saying,  “I  am  of  the  Imperial  family;  Heaven  has 
made  me  a warrior,  I shall  become  the  ‘ Son  of  Heaven,’ 
and  you,  a Fujiwara,  shall  be  Kuambaku.”  Then  both 
took  the  field  in  revolt  against  the  throne.  But  vigor- 
ous measures  were  quickly  taken,  and  Makasado  was 
surprised  and  defeated  by  an  army  under  his  own 
cousin,  another  Taira.  Followed  by  four  hundred 
horsemen,  all  that  remained  to  him  of  his  great  army, 
he  fled  to  the  mountains.  There  he  was  again  attacked, 
and,  though  he  fought  with  desperation  and  performed 
prodigies  of  valour,  himself  slaying  scores  of  his  assail- 
ants, he  was  again  beaten,  his  horsemen  dispersed,  and 
as  he  fled  alone  he  was  brought  down  by  an  arrow  fired 
by  his  cousin’s  own  hand. 

The  disloyalty  of  one  member  of  the  family  was  con- 
doned by  the  services  of  another,  and  as  the  succeeding 
generations  continued  both  to  display  capacity  and  to 
render  the  best  military  service,  there  was  no  falling 
away  of  their  strength  and  influence.  Makasado’s  re- 
bellion took  place  in  the  year  940,  and  five  generations 
later,  at  the  beginning  of  the  twelfth  century,  the  head 
of  the  house  was  Tadamori,  whose  services  made  him 
a favourite  with  two  Emperors,  Shirakawa  (1073-1086), 
and  Toba  (1108-1124),  and  procured  for  him  advance- 
ment at  the  Court  which  aroused  the  jealousy  of  the 
courtiers  so  that  they  plotted  to  murder  him.  They 
resolved  to  take  advantage  of  his  attendance  at  the 
banquet  given  by  the  Emperor  to  celebrate  the  feast  of 
Shinjoye  (harvest  festival) ; but  Tadamori,  knowing 
what  was  in  their  hearts,  came  with  his  sword  and 
attended  by  two  retainers.  The  courtiers,  seeing  his 


88 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


sword  and  knowing  his  prowess,  were  afraid,  but 
thought  to  destroy  him  by  accusing  him  to  the  Emperor 
of  coming  to  the  interior  of  the  palace  armed.  When 
taxed  with  this  grave  offence  Tadamori  calmly  pro- 
duced the  sword,  the  sight  of  which  had  made  the 
courtiers  pause,  and  it  was  found  to  be  of  wood,  silver 
gilt.  So,  while  they  dared  not  attempt  to  slay  him, 
their  accusation  \vas  turned  into  ridicule.  Once  he 
accompanied  the  Emperor  on  a midnight  ramble  to  the 
home,  away  from  the  palace,  of  a lady  favoured  by  the 
Emperor.  It  was  a night  of  black  darkness  and  heavy 
rain,  and  the  pair  were  startled  by  what  seemed  to  be 
the  apparition  of  a devil,  with  hair  erect  like  needles, 
that  alternately  appeared  and  vanished  before  them  in 
the  street.  Tadamori  boldly  grasped  the  supposed 
apparition,  which  proved  to  be  a priest,  with  a hat  of 
wheat-straw,  carrying  a torch,  which  he  blew  into 
flames  each  time  that  it  was  quenched  by  the  rain.  One 
of  the  palace  attendants  was  another  favoured  lady  of 
the  Emperor.  Tadamori’s  loyalty  and  devotion  did  not 
prevent  him  secretly  sharing  with  his  Imperial  master 
the  good  graces  of  the  lady,  and  his  intrigue  was  dis- 
covered. The  Emperor  forgave  him,  gave  him  the 
lady  in  marriage,  and  said,  “If  the  child  is  a girl  I 
will  adopt  it;  if  it  is  a boy  it  shall  be  Tadamori’s  son.” 
A son  was  born  in  1 1 1 8,  to  whom  the  name  of  Kiyomori 
was  given,  who  in  due  time  became  the  head  of  the 
Taira  and  one  of  the  greatest  figures  in  Japanese  history. 

The  Minamoto,  the  second  of  the  two  military  families 
mentioned  above,  were  of  later  origin  than  the  Taira. 
The  Emperor  Seiwa  (859-877)  had  three  sons,  one  of 
whom  became  Minister  of  War,  and  his  son  was 
licensed  to  found  a new  family  under  the  name  of  Mina- 
moto. The  Taira  had  adopted  a red  banner  and  the 
Minamoto  chose  a white  one.  From  father  to  son  for 
generations  all  were  active  and  daring  soldiers.  In  the 


THE  RISE  OF  THE  TAIRA 


89 


fourth  generation  one  of  them,  in  order  that  he  might 
be  better  able  to  guard  the  Son  of  Heaven,  commis- 
sioned a famous  swordsmith  to  forge  two  swords  for 
him.  For  fifty  days  the  smith  worked,  and  then  he 
produced  two  swords  of  superlative  quality.  Both  were 
tried  by  their  owner  on  criminals.  One  cut  through 
both  neck  and  beard  of  the  criminal  at  one  stroke,  and 
was  therefore  called  Hige  Kiri,  or  beard  cutter.  The 
other  cut  through  the  neck  and  knee,  as  the  criminal 
knelt  on  the  ground  with  head  outstretched  and  knee 
forward,  and  was  therefore  called  Hiza  Kiri,  or  knee 
cutter,  and  both  these  swords  became  heirlooms  in  the 
family. 

The  fourth  in  descent  from  the  founder  was  Yori- 
yoshi,  who  won  renown  as  a soldier  both  in  the  Kuanto 
and  in  the  far  northern  Province  of  Mutsu.  Once  he 
dreamt  that  the  God  Hachiman  had  given  him  a sword. 
Simultaneously  his  son  Yoshiiye  was  born,  who,  prov- 
ing as  valiant  and  capable  a soldier  as  his  father, 
received  from  his  father’s  dream  and  his  own  exploits 
the  name  of  Hachiman  Taro,  or  eldest  son  of  Hachi- 
man. At  the  end  of  a long  and  arduous  campaign  in 
Mutsu,  which  lasted  for  many  years,  the  enemy  took 
refuge  in  a stockaded  camp  in  the  middle  of  a marsh. 
There  were  deep  ditches  all  round  it  and  swords  were 
planted  in  them  so  as  to  make  the  crossing  more  diffi- 
cult. Yoriyoshi  pulled  down  the  houses  of  all  the 
people  around,  filled  the  ditches  with  their  fragments 
and  then  stormed  the  stockades.  The  enemy’s  leader, 
who  was  of  enormous  stature,  measuring  seven  feet 
round  the  loins,  came  out  and  fought  alone,  and  was 
taken  and  brought  wounded  to  Yoriyoshi.  Yoriyoshi 
cut  off  his  head  and  those  of  his  two  sons  with  a blunt 
sword  and  sent  them  to  the  capital  to  be  laid  before 
the  Emperor.  Within  the  stockades  he  found  scores  of 
beautiful  women,  who  had  been  stolen  by  the  rebels, 


90 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


and  these  he  divided  among  his  own  officers.  Both 
father  and  son  became  very  popular  in  the  Eastern  pro- 
vinces, where  the  calling  of  arms  was  highly  honoured, 
and  by  their  dignity  and  beneficence  won  all  hearts  so 
that  the  foundations  were  laid  of  the  popularity  of  the 
Minamoto  throughout  the  eight  provinces,  which  en- 
abled them,  in  a later  generation,  to  make  themselves 
masters  of  the  Empire.  Yoshiiye’s  grandson  was 
Yoshitomo,  the  eldest  of  twenty-three  sons  of  his  father. 
The  eighth  son  was  Tametomo,  who  was  of  enormous 
strength,  with  arms  long  like  those  of  an  ape  so  that 
he  could  bend  a bow  and  discharge  an  arrow  that  were 
far  beyond  the  capacity  of  any  ordinary  men.  He  was 
so  violent  in  his  youth  that  he  was  sent  on  service  to 
Kiushiu  where,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  his  conduct  made 
him  the  terror  of  all  the  local  governors,  none  of  whom 
could  control  him.  A Court  intrigue  gave  Yoshitomo 
a brief  influence.  In  1156  there  were  three  Emperors 
living,  one,  Konoye  (1142-1156),  on  the  throne  and 
two  in  retirement,  Toba  (1108-1124),  the  cloistered 
Emperor,  the  father  of  Konoye,  and  Sutoku  (1124-1142), 
Konoye’s  immediate  predecessor.  Konoye  died  in  this 
year,  and  Sutoku,  who  abdicated  fourteen  years  before, 
was  desirous  to  reassume  the  throne;  but  Toba,  at  the 
instigation  of  his  favourite  concubine,  Tokuko,  placed 
on  it  the  Emperor  Go  Shirakawa,  her  son  and  the 
brother  of  Konoye.  Shortly  afterwards  Toba  died,  and 
Sutoku  then  determined,  at  the  instigation  of  the  Fuji- 
wara,  to  take  the  throne  by  force  of  arms,  and  to  that 
end  called  the  Minamoto  family  to  his  help.  Toba,  on 
his  deathbed,  had  given  his  beloved  concubine  a box  to 
be  opened  only  in  the  case  of  trouble.  Her  and  his 
son’s  throne  was  now  threatened,  so  she  opened  the  box 
and  found  in  it  a list  of  military  commanders  who 
might  be  trusted,  and  Yoshitomo’s  name  was  at  their 
head.  She  called  him  and  Kiyomori,  the  head  of  the 


THE  RISE  OF  THE  TAIRA 


91 


Taira,  the  two  greatest  warriors  of  the  age,  to  her  aid, 
and  both  espoused  her  cause  and  took  up  arms  in 
defence  of  the  young  Emperor.  On  the  other  side,  the 
side  of  the  ex-Emperor,  the  leaders  were  Yoshitomo’s 
father  and  brothers,  foremost  among  them  being  the 
great  archer  Tametomo.  In  the  battle  that  took  place, 
the  latter  were  hopelessly  defeated.  Both  father  and 
brothers  were  taken  prisoners  and  all  were  ruthlessly 
put  to  death  by  Yoshitomo.  His  four  youngest  brothers 
were  still  boys,  almost  children,  too  young  to  have 
taken  part  in  the  plot  or  in  the  fight,  but  their  youth 
did  not  save  them.  Their  implacable  brother  ordered 
that  all  should  be  executed.  The  boys,  except  the 
eldest,  asked  for  mercy,  saying  that  they  had  done  no 
wrong.  The  eldest  rebuked  them,  told  them  that  “he 
who  had  killed  his  father  would  not  spare  his  younger 
brethren.  He  has  fallen  into  the  snares  of  Kiyomori 
and  is  wounding  himself.  Let  us  die  at  once  and  follow 
our  father.”  So  all  placed  their  heads  in  a row  and 
“received  the  sword.”  Only  Tametomo  escaped.  He 
endeavoured  to  make  his  way  to  Kiushiu,  but,  once 
when  he  was  taking  a bath,  his  enormous  bulk  attracted 
the  attention  of  those  who  saw  him,  and  they  told  the 
authorities  of  their  suspicions.  Officers  were  at  once 
sent  to  take  him,  and  Tametomo,  naked  as  he  was, 
sprang  out  of  his  bath  and  seized  a pole  and  killed 
several  of  the  officers  before  he  was  taken.  Then  he 
was  bound  and,  though  his  life  was  spared,  the  sinews 
of  his  arm  were  cut  so  that  he  could  no  longer  draw  a 
bow,  and  he  was  banished  to  the  Island  of  Oshima. 
Here  some  of  his  old  henchmen  followed  him.  He 
gathered  a band  of  fighting  men  about  him  and,  from 
being  a prisoner,  made  himself  master  of  the  Island. 
The  story  of  what  he  was  doing  was  brought  to  the 
capital,  and  officers  were  sent  to  the  Island  to  take  him 
again.  His  arm  had  now  recovered  its  strength  and 


92 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


he  was  again  the  strong  and  skilful  archer  of  his  youth. 
With  one  arrow  he  shot  from  the  beach  he  sank  the 
boat  that  was  bringing  the  officers  to  arrest  him.  He 
is  said  to  have  escaped  after  this  exploit  to  the  Liu 
Kiu  Islands,  where  he  founded  the  royal  family  which 
afterwards  ruled  over  the  Islands  as  kings. 

Yoshitomo  had  borne  the  brunt  of  the  fight  which 
secured  Go  Shirakawa  on  his  throne,  and  for  his  sake 
had  fought  with  and  slain  his  own  father  and  brethren, 
but  the  greatest  rewards  were  given  to  Kiyomori,  the 
head  of  the  Taira,  and  it  was  not  long  before  a quarrel 
broke  out  between  the  two,  and  the  quarrel  was  soon 
followed  by  hostilities.  Shirakawa  only  held  the  throne 
for  three  years,  when  he  abdicated  in  favour  of  Nijo 
(1159-1165),  but  he  continued  himself  to  direct  the 
administration.  Both  Emperor  and  ex-Emperor  took 
refuge  with  Kiyomori  on  the  renewal  of  hostilities,  and 
their  presence  in  his  camp  gave  him  and  his  followers 
the  prestige  of  the  Imperial  and  loyal  army  and  made 
Yoshitomo,  who  was  in  arms  against  it,  a rebel.  His 
followers  began  to  desert  him,  and,  when  the  fight  came, 
he  was  largely  outnumbered.  All  day  long,  from  early 
dawn,  his  men  fought  continuously  till  their  swords 
were  broken  and  their  arrows  exhausted.  Meanwhile, 
his  foes  had  been  fighting  in  detachments,  constantly 
bringing  fresh  men  to  make  new  attacks  on  the  weary 
and  worn.  At  last  all  was  over.  Yoshitomo  wished 
to  die  fighting  on  the  field,  but  a faithful  retainer, 
Masaiye,  prevented  him,  telling  him  it  was  better  to 
fly  to  the  Eastern  provinces  and  await  a better  day  than 
to  meet  death  at  the  hands  of  a common  soldier.  He 
escaped  from  the  field  with  thirty  horsemen,  but  safety 
was  far  away.  The  priests  of  Mount  Hiyei  tried  to 
stop  him  with  three  hundred  men.  One  of  the  horse- 
men rode  to  them  and  said,  “We  are  only  disbanded 
soldiers.  If  you  want  our  armour  you  are  welcome  to 


THE  RISE  OF  THE  TAIRA 


93 


it,  but  we  have  not  enough  for  all  of  you.  Take  this 
as  an  earnest.”  Then  he  threw  his  helmet  among  them, 
and  while  the  priests  scrambled  for  it  the  whole  party 
put  their  horses  to  the  gallop  and  rode  through  them. 
Further  on  priests  again  tried  to  stop  them,  and  in  the 
struggle  Yoshitaka,  Yoshitomo’s  grand-uncle,  now  an 
old  man,  the  last  surviving  son  of  Hachiman  Taro,  was 
killed,  and  Tomonaga,  his  son,  was  shot  by  an  arrow 
through  the  thigh.  The  youth  pulled  out  the  arrow 
himself  and  fought  on.  Later  on  the  wound  festered, 
and  he  could  not  continue  the  fight.  He  prayed  his 
father  to  kill  him  rather  than  leave  him  to  fall  into  the 
enemy’s  hands,  and  Yoshitomo  killed  him  with  his  own 
sword.  A band  of  peasants  surrounded  him  and  at- 
tempted to  take  him.  One  of  his  followers  killed  ten 
of  them,  and  then,  saying,  “I  am  Yoshitomo,”  slashed 
and  disfigured  his  own  features  so  that  the  face  could 
not  be  recognized  and  killed  himself.  The  peasants, 
thinking  they  had  Yoshitomo’s  head,  were  not  eager  to 
come  to  grips  again  with  the  rest  of  the  little  band,  now 
reduced  to  half-a-dozen  in  number,  and  allowed  it  to 
escape.  At  last  he  reached  Utsumi,  a port  on  the  bay 
of  Owari,  where  he  found  refuge  in  the  house  of  Tada- 
mune,  the  father-in-law  of  Masaiye,  the  faithful  vassal 
who  still  followed  him.  Konno,  another  equally  faith- 
ful, was  also  still  with  him.  Tadamune  resolved  to 
murder  Yoshitomo,  and,  for  this  purpose,  hid  three 
stout  swordsmen  in  the  bath-room.  But  they  could  do 
nothing  as  Konno  accompanied  his  lord  to  the  bath  and 
stood  by  him  with  his  sword.  Unfortunately  the  bath 
gown  had  been  forgotten  and,  as  no  one  answered  to 
the  call,  Konno  left  his  post  to  get  it  himself.  Then 
the  three  swordsmen  did  their  work  on  the  naked  and 
unarmed  man.  Konno,  hearing  the  noise,  rushed  back, 
but  only  in  time  to  avenge  his  master  by  killing  all  three 
swordsmen.  Masaiye  was  at  the  moment  drinking  with 


94 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


his  father-in-law  and  host  in  another  part  of  the  house, 
and,  as  he  rose,  on  hearing  the  disturbance,  was  cut 
down  from  behind  and  killed.  The  heads  of  both  lord 
and  vassal  were  sent  to  Kiyomori.  Masaiye’s  wife, 
horrified  at  her  father’s  treachery,  killed  herself  with 
her  dead  husband’s  sword.  This  was  in  the  year  1160. 

Long  before  this  happened  Kiyomori  had  become  the 
head  of  the  Taira.  The  son  of  a brave  and  successful 
soldier,  he  gave  from  his  earliest  years  ample  evidence 
that  he  would  equal  if  not  surpass  his  father’s  greatest 
exploits.  While  still  a mere  youth  he  was,  at  his  own 
desire,  sent  on  service  against  pirates  who  swarmed  on 
the  west  coast,  and  in  his  operations  against  them  dis- 
played not  only  dauntless  courage,  but  military  capacity 
of  a high  degree.  Afterwards  he  steadily  ascended  in 
Court  favour  and  rank,  while  his  reputation  as  a suc- 
cessful and  ambitious  soldier  attracted  so  many  followers 
to  the  red  banner  of  the  Taira  that  he  became  the  most 
powerful  territorial  noble  of  the  Empire.  The  Court 
intrigue  of  1156  gave  him  his  great  opportunity.  Yoshi- 
tomo’s  name  was  first  on  the  list  of  generals  contained 
in  the  box  given  by  the  dying  Emperor  Toba  to  his 
concubine,  the  mother  of  the  child  whom  he  had 
nominated  as  his  successor  on  the  throne,  and  Kiyo- 
mori’s  name  was  not  on  the  list  at  all,  but  Kiyomori’s 
strength  and  character  soon  gave  him  the  lead,  and 
the  story  has  just  been  told  of  his  ultimate  quarrel  with 
and  triumph  over  Yoshitomo.  Yoshitomo’s  death  left 
Kiyomori  the  undisputed  master  of  the  Empire.  The 
Emperor  was  in  his  hands  to  give  legality  to  all  his 
acts,  no  matter  how  violent  or  tyrannical,  and  could 
be  moulded  at  his  will.  No  subject  in  Japan’s  history 
had  previously  reached  such  a pinnacle  of  authority 
with  irresistible  military  force  to  back  it.  Kiyomori 
was  as  cruel  and  relentless  as  he  was  ambitious.  For 
three  centuries  the  Minamoto  and  Taira  had  been 
friends,  bound  by  the  ties  of  their  common  service  as 


THE  RISE  OF  THE  TAIRA 


95 


soldiers  of  the  Empire  and  as  enemies  of  the  dominant 
Fujiwara.  The  memory  of  the  days  when  they  had 
fought  side  by  side  might  well  have  softened  Kiyomori’s 
heart,  hard  though  it  was,  in  favour  of  the  Minamoto 
in  their  hour  of  darkness  after  Yoshitomo’s  death,  when 
they  were  left  without  competent  leaders  and  were 
scattered  in  flight  throughout  the  East.  But  he  had 
determined  to  leave  no  possible  enemies  to  his  own 
family,  none  who  could  interfere  with  the  grandeur 
which  he  proposed  to  ensure  to  them  in  the  future,  and 
a war  of  extermination  was  decreed  against  all  the 
Minamoto. 

Three  sons  accompanied  Yoshitomo  in  the  flight  from 
his  last  battle.  The  fate  of  one  has  been  told.  The 
eldest,  Yoshihira,  and  the  third  Yoritomo,  the  first 
twenty  and  the  last  thirteen  years  of  age,  survived  their 
father.  Yoshihira  was  at  Kamakura  in  the  East  when 
he  heard  of  his  father’s  quarrel  at  Kioto  with  the  Taira. 
He  galloped  night  and  day  the  whole  intervening 
distance — nearly  three  hundred  miles — to  join  him,  and 
in  the  fight  he  showed  himself  a valiant  soldier,  lead- 
ing a charge  right  into  the  lines  of  the  Taira  army. 
Once,  during  the  flight  after  the  battle,  Yoritomo  in 
weariness  fell  asleep  on  his  horse  and  lagged  behind  the 
rest  of  the  little  band.  Some  peasants,  seeing  only  a 
boy  alone  and  asleep,  attempted  to  capture  him,  but  he 
woke  at  once,  cut  down  two  of  them  with  the  sword 
“Beard-cutter,”  which  his  father  had  given  him,  and 
succeeded  in  rejoining  his  father.  Both  sons,  after- 
wards, for  better  chances  of  escape  from  the  Taira  who 
were  seeking  for  them  and  to  secure  that  all  of  the  Mina- 
moto might  not  perish  at  one  blow,  by  the  father’s 
orders,  separated  from  the  party.  Their  adventures 
after  their  father’s  death  were  full  of  romance. 

At  first  the  eldest  hid  among  remote  hills,  and  there, 
deserted  and  left  alone,  thought  to  take  the  usual  refuge 
of  a Japanese  warrior  in  an  honourable  death  at  his 


96 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


own  hand.  But  he  remembered  it  was  his  duty  to 
avenge  his  father’s  murder.  So  he  made  his  way  in 
disguise  to  Kioto  where  the  triumphant  Taira  were  all 
popular.  There  he  found  an  old  Minamoto  retainer, 
and,  in  the  character  of  his  servant,  lodged  with  him 
in  an  inn.  The  landlord  saw  that  he  was  no  ordinary 
person,  and  spying  upon  them,  discovered  that  the 
apparent  master  and  servant  changed  places  when  they 
took  their  meals.  Information  was  quickly  given  to 
the  Taira  officers,  and  the  house  was  surrounded  by 
three  hundred  men;  but  Yoshihira,  after  cutting  down 
ten  of  the  officers  who  attempted  to  stop  him,  escaped 
by  the  roof.  Then  he  tried  to  make  his  way  once  more 
to  the  Eastern  provinces,  remote  from  the  capital,  where 
he  would  have  found  sympathy  and  shelter,  but,  as  he 
crossed  the  Auzaka,  a steep  mountain  pass  on  the  road 
from  Kioto  to  the  town  of  Otsu  at  the  end  of  Lake 
Biwa,  he  lay  down  to  rest  by  the  wayside  and,  in  his 
weariness,  fell  asleep.  As  he  slept  the  very  same  officer, 
who  had  failed  in  his  attempt  to  arrest  him  at  Kioto, 
happened  to  pass  by  at  the  head  of  a troop  of  fifty 
horsemen.  He  recognized  the  sleeping  youth  at  once, 
and,  seizing  him  as  he  slept,  bound  him  and  brought 
him  a prisoner  to  Kioto.  Arrived  there,  he  was  told 
to  stand  at  the  gate  of  the  palace,  but,  indignant  at  this 
affront  to  one  of  his  blood,  he  forced  his  way  into  the 
interior  and  boldly  confronted  Kiyomori,  and  on  the 
tyrant  taunting  him  with  having  been  taken  by  fifty 
men  after  having  escaped  from  three  hundred,  he 
laughingly  answered,  “ It  was  just  my  luck.  When  your 
luck  fails  you,  you  will  also  come  to  an  end  like  this.” 
Then  he  was  straightway  led  forth  and  decapitated  on 
the  dry  bed  of  the  River  Kamo,  a spot  which,  in  its 
associations,  resembles  Tower  Hill.  Many  of  the  most 
noted  characters  in  Japanese  history,  whose  lives  have 
closed  with  failure,  have  there  taken  their  last  look 
on  earth. 


THE  RISE  OF  THE  TAIRA 


97 


Yoshihira  was  twenty  years  of  age  when  he  died. 
His  brother,  Yoritomo,  was  then  only  thirteen.  After 
his  father’s  death  he  also  became  a wandering  fugitive, 
seeking  shelter  and  support  wherever  they  could  be 
found.  A poor  fisherman  disguised  him  as  a girl  and, 
hiding  his  famous  sword,  “Beard-cutter,”  in  a piece  of 
matting,  tried  to  carry  him  on  his  own  back  to  a place 
of  safety.  But  a Taira  commander,  Munekiyo,  found 
him  and  took  him  prisoner  and  brought  him  to  Kioto. 
There  a day  was  at  once  fixed  on  which  he  was  to  pay 
the  last  penalty  on  the  Kamo.  But  his  captor,  Mune- 
kiyo, had  in  turn  been  captured  by  the  boy’s  beauty  and 
spirit.  He  went  to  Kiyomori’s  step-mother,  Iki  no 
Ama,  the  nun  Iki,  who  had  shaved  her  head  and  sought 
peace  from  the  affairs  of  the  world  in  the  retirement  of 
a Buddhist  convent,  and  told  her  that  Yoritomo  re- 
sembled her  own  son,  Uma,  who  had  died  in  youth. 
Her  pity  wras  aroused.  She  besought  Kiyomori’s  mercy 
with  tears  and  repeated  supplications,  and  he  at  last 
yielded  and  spared  the  boy’s  life,  but  exiled  him  to  the 
distant  province  of  Idzu.  Some  of  those  who  stood 
round  him  when  the  sentence  was  pronounced,  advised 
him  to  ensure  his  continued  safety  by  shaving  his  head 
and  so  manifesting  that  he  had  done  with  worldly  affairs ; 
but  another,  a retainer  of  his  own  family,  whispered  in 
his  ear,  “Wait  and  see.”  The  youth  nodded  in  answer, 
and  as  he  left,  holding  his  head  high  and  fearlessly 
looking  in  the  face  of  the  Taira  courtiers  who  were 
grouped  around,  some  of  them  struck  by  his  spirit,  who 
had  heard  of  what  he,  a boy,  had  done  in  action  and 
during  his  father’s  flight,  said  that,  in  sparing  his  life, 
their  lord  was  “letting  a tiger  loose  in  the  fields.” 

All  the  Prince  Charlie-like  romances  of  the  two  young 
nobles,  of  scores  of  their  principal  retainers  who  were 
eluding  the  vigilance  of  the  Taira  emissaries  all  over 
the  country  and  awaiting  in  poverty  and  obscurity  the 
dawn  of  the  day  of  retribution,  yield  in  pathos,  in  the 

H 


98 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


fascination  which  they  continue  to  the  present  day  to 
exercise  over  Japanese  painters  and  romanticists,  in  their 
power  of  drawing  tears  to  the  eyes  of  gentle  maidens, 
who  are  now,  it  may  be,  studying  European  science  and 
philosophy  in  the  high  schools  and  colleges  of  Tokio, 
to  the  story  of  Tokiwa,  the  peasant  girl  of  humble  birth, 
whose  marvellous  beauty  had  raised  her  to  the  proud 
position  of  Yoshitomo’s  mistress,  a position  in  Japan 
of  those  days  only  one  degree  less  honourable  than  that 
of  legal  wife.  She  had  borne  three  sons  to  her  lover, 
and,  when  the  lover  was  killed,  she  fled  with  her  three 
children  on  a dark  winter’s  night,  when  the  ground  was 
thick  with  snow,  and  sought  shelter  in  a lonely  wood. 
Her  two  eldest  boys  clung  to  her  skirts,  one  on  each 
side;  her  youngest  was  still  an  infant  in  arms.  No 
scene  in  all  Japanese  history  has  been  more  represented 
by  painters  of  every  degree  of  skill  or  reputation  than 
that  of  the  lovely  mother  and  her  three  numbed  and 
wearied  children,  all  wondering  at  the  sudden  change 
from  the  luxury  of  a palace  to  homelessness  and  hunger, 
struggling  through  the  falling  snow  in  the  gloom  of 
the  dark  forest.  Death  appeared  to  be  inevitable  for  all, 
but  fortune  was  not  wholly  unkind  to  them.  A soldier 
of  the  Minamoto,  a fugitive  like  themselves,  found 
them,  brought  them  safely  to  a secluded  village,  and 
there  sheltered  them.  There  they  might  have  awaited 
better  fortune,  but  the  Taira  were  determined  to  secure, 
if  not  extirpate,  the  whole  Yoshitomo  brood.  They 
sought  in  vain  for  Tokiwa  and  her  children;  but  they 
found  her  mother  and  publicly  proclaimed  that,  if  the 
daughter  did  not  surrender,  the  mother  must  die.  Tid- 
ings of  this  came  slowly  to  the  lonely  mountain  village 
where  the  daughter  thought  she  had  found  a safe 
shelter,  but  they  came  and  placed  before  the  distracted 
mother  a cruel  alternative,  to  sacrifice  her  children,  the 
sons  of  her  great  lover,  or  her  own  mother.  Filial  piety 
is  the  basic  element  of  all  Japanese  morality.  For  father 


THE  RISE  OF  THE  TAIRA 


99 


or  mother,  son  or  daughter  must  always  be  ready  for 
sacrifice  at  any  moment,  in  any  form.  For  them  a son 
must  sacrifice  his  life,  a daughter  life  or  what  is 
dearer  than  life,  and  Tokiwa’s  struggle,  if  bitter,  was 
short.  She  returned  to  Kioto  with  her  children  and 
gave  herself  and  them  into  the  hands  of  the  Taira 
officers. 

Like  other  men  who  have  played  a great  part  on  the 
stage  of  the  world’s  history,  Kiyomori  was  susceptible 
to  female  beauty,  and,  when  Tokiwa  was  brought  before 
him,  all  his  strongest  passions  were  stirred  by  her 
irresistible  charms.  He  at  first  tried  to  win  her  in 
secrecy,  but  failed.  More  open  wooing  was  equally 
fruitless.  Tokiwa  was  faithful  to  the  memory  of  her 
murdered  lord.  Threats  succeeded  where  persuasion 
was  in  vain,  and  when  her  mother,  with  floods  of  tears, 
showed  her  the  “misery  of  refusal  and  the  happiness 
which  yielding  would  ensure  to  all,”  Tokiwa  at  last 
gave  way  and,  becoming  Kiyomori’s  mistress,  pur- 
chased the  lives  of  her  mother  and  children.  Her  in- 
fluence over  the  tyrant  lasted  for  ten  years,  and  then, 
when  released  by  him,  she  married  another  man,  and 
nothing  is  told  of  the  rest  of  her  life.  The  lives  of  her 
children  were  spared,  but  the  well-being  of  the  Taira 
demanded  that  they  should  be  brought  up  in  such  a way 
as  to  make  them  powerless  for  ill  in  the  future.  The 
three  were  sent  to  monasteries  to  be  reared  and  trained 
as  members  of  a priesthood  vowed  to  celibacy. 

Kiyomori’s  triumph  was  now  complete  and  his  posi- 
tion as  head  of  the  state  seemed  assured.  The  Emperor 
was  in  his  power,  and  was  soon  made  to  feel  it.  The 
nomination  to  the  great  office  of  Dai  jo  Dai  jin,  First 
Minister  of  State,  was  extorted  in  Kiyomori’s  own 
favour  from  him,  and  all  the  chief  offices,  civil  and 
military,  metropolitan  or  provincial,  were  conferred  on 
relations  or  adherents  of  the  Taira,  and  everywhere  con- 
fiscated domains  throughout  the  kingdom  were  given  to 

H 2 


100 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


them  so  that  their  lands  spread  over  more  than  thirty 
provinces.  All  that  had  been  done  by  the  Fujiwara  in 
the  days  of  their  most  unquestionable  dominance  was 
now  done  or  excelled  by  Kiyomori,  who,  like  them, 
crowned  and  deposed  Emperors  as  he  pleased.  The 
ex-Emperor  Sutoku  and  his  son,  the  cause  of  the  first 
quarrel  between  the  Minamoto  and  the  Taira,  shared  in 
the  fate  of  their  defeated  champions,  and  were  promptly 
banished  to  a distant  and  uncivilized  province  with  such 
contumely  and  indifference  that  Sutoku  is  said  to  have 
died  in  his  banishment  of  starvation.  Go-Shirakawa,  for 
whom  Kiyomori  had  fought  in  the  disputed  succession, 
was  made  to  abdicate  the  moment  he  showed  a semblance 
of  mild  resistance  to  his  minister’s  will.  The  throne  was 
then  given  in  succession  to  three  boys  of  seventeen,  two, 
and  twelve  years  of  age  at  their  accession,  the  first  two 
of  whom  were  only  allowed  to  reign  for  a few  years  in 
order  to  make  way  for  the  third,  Taka-kura  (1169-1180), 
whose  mother,  a concubine  of  the  Emperor  Go-Shira- 
kawa, was  an  elder  sister  of  Kiyomori’s  own  wife.  To 
this  Emperor  Kiyomori  gave  his  daughter  in  marriage, 
first  making  her  Niogo,  or  principal  concubine,  and  then 
advancing  her  to  the  dignity  of  Chiugu,  or  second  wife, 
again  following  the  precedent  of  the  Fujiwara,  who, 
when  at  the  height  of  their  power,  forced  all  the  Em- 
perors to  take  wives  from  among  the  daughters  of  their 
house.  When  a son  was  born  to  this  marriage  the 
father  was  deposed,  and  the  child,  though  still  an  infant, 
crowned  as  the  Emperor  Antoku  (1180-1185).  Kiyo- 
mori’s ambition  had  thus  carried  him  to  its  highest 
flight.  He  was  the  grandparent  of  the  Emperor,  who 
was  the  Son  of  Heaven  and  the  direct  descendant  of  the 
Gods.  His  pride  and  ostentation  were  unbounded. 
Imperial  honours  were  rendered  to  him  and  a large 
escort  accompanied  him  wherever  he  went,  like  the 
Imperial  family.  When  he  visited  the  Emperor  he 
passed  through  the  palace  gates  without  descending 


THE  RISE  OF  THE  TAIRA 


101 


from  his  car;  he  entered  the  presence  still  wearing  a 
sword,  a boldness  on  which  none  other  had  ever  pre- 
sumed before.  He  built  a palace  at  Fukuwara  where 
the  great  port  of  Kobe  now  stands,  and  transferred  the 
Emperor  to  it  so  that  it  became  the  capital  of  the 
Empire.  But  his  last  years  were  not  happy.  His 
eldest  son,  who  to  all  his  father’s  courage  and  capacity 
added  all  the  true  nobility  of  mind  in  which  the  father 
was  lacking,  who  was  chivalrous  and  merciful  to  beaten 
foes,  died  before  him.  He  had  been  torn  between  con- 
flicting duties,  honour  to  the  Emperor  and  obedience  to 
his  father,  and,  in  his  agony,  he  had  prayed  for  death 
and  his  prayers  were  answered.  The  second  son  gave 
no  promise  that  he  would  be  able  to  take  his  father’s 
place.  The  Fujiwara,  sick  of  his  tyranny,  indignant  at 
their  subjection  to  one  who  was  their  inferior  in  descent, 
were  secretly  conspiring  against  him  at  the  Emperor’s 
Court.  Yoritomo,  now  grown  to  manhood,  was  already 
raising  the  Minamoto  standard  and  was  gathering  a 
formidable  army  in  the  distant  Kuanto.1  Too  late 
Kiyomori  realized  how  true  it  was  that  he  had  let  loose 
a tiger  in  the  fields.  He  died  in  1 181  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
four,  and  his  last  words  on  his  death-bed  were — 

“ He  that  is  born  must  necessarily  die.  Why  should  I 
alone  expect  to  escape?  My  rank  has  been  the  highest  to 
which  a subject  can  attain,  and  I stand  in  the  relation  of 
grandfather  to  the  Emperor  by  his  mother’s  side.  What 
should  I have  to  complain  of?  What  I complain  of  is  that 
I must  die  without  seeing  the  head  of  Minamoto  no  Yori- 
tomo. After  I die  do  not  perform  Buddhist  rites  for  me ; 
do  not  read  the  liturgies  for  me ; but  simply  cut  off  Mina- 
moto no  Yoritomo’s  head,  and  hang  it  up  before  my  tomb. 
Let  all  my  offspring  and  retainers  obey  my  words,  and  not 
dare  to  neglect  them.” 

1 For  Kuanto,  see  Appendix  III. 


CHAPTER  VII 


YORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR 

When  Yoritomo’s  life  was  spared  and  he  was 
banished  to  Idzu,  the  Hojo,  a family  of  territorial 
nobility  whose  domains  lay  in  Idzu,  were  made  respons- 
ible for  his  safe  custody.  The  family  were  of  Taira 
descent,  the  founder  having  been  the  son  of  Kiyomori’s 
predecessor  in  the  seventh  degree  in  the  headship  of  the 
Taira.  Their  faith  could,  therefore,  it  was  assumed,  be 
trusted.  The  head  of  the  house  at  this  time  was  Hojo 
Tokimasa.  He  had  two  daughters,  the  eldest  of  whom 
was  reported  beautiful,  the  younger  the  reverse.  Yori- 
tomo  wished  to  marry  one  of  them,  and  thought  he 
should  best  conciliate  the  father’s  sympathy  in  his  own 
interests  if  he  chose  the  younger  and  plainer.  So  he 
sent  her  a letter  by  his  servant.  Now  the  girl  had,  on 
the  previous  night,  a dream  in  which  a pigeon  came  to 
her  carrying  a golden  egg.  She  awoke  and  told  her 
sister  of  it,  and  the  sister  then  said  : “ I will  buy  my 
younger  sister’s  dream.”  So  she  gave  her  younger 
sister  her  toilet  mirror,  saying:  “It  is  little,  that  with 
which  I pay  the  price.”  Next  morning  she  received  the 
letter,  and  in  the  end  formed  a connection  with  the 
sender. 

The  elder  sister’s  name  was  Masago.  She  was  at  this 
time  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  was  promised  in 
marriage  to  the  Taira  governor  of  Idzu.  Her  father, 
Tokimasa,  discovered  her  relations  with  Yoritomo,  and 
was  both  pleased  and  frightened.  He  had  formed  a 

102 


YORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  103 


high  opinion  of  Yoritomo’s  abilities,  and  foresaw  the 
possibilities  of  a great  future  for  him.  But  he  was 
bound  by  his  promise  to  the  governor,  and  dreaded  the 
consequences  of  offending  the  powerful  Taira  by  form- 
ing a relationship  with  the  outlawed  scion  of  the  Mina- 
moto.  So  he  insisted  on  the  performance  of  the  marriage 
ceremony  with  the  governor.  The  same  night,  the  night 
of  the  marriage  ceremony,  it  rained  heavily,  and  in  the 
darkness  and  storm  Yoritomo  played  the  part  of 
Lochinvar,  and  carried  off  the  willing  bride  to  the 
mountains,  and  there  hid  with  her.  The  father  soon 
forgave  them,  and  when,  in  the  following  year,  a son 
was  born  to  Masago  and  declared  the  heir  of  the  Mina- 
moto,  he  became  devoted  to  Yoritomo,  and  thence- 
forward forgot  his  loyalty  to  his  own  clan,  and  entered 
heart  and  soul  into  Yoritomo’s  plottings  for  the  revival 
of  the  fortunes  of  the  fallen  house. 

From  early  days  the  Minamoto  were  connected  with 
the  Kuanto.  Their  name  and  history  were  well  known 
throughout  the  eight  provinces,  and  as  the  provinces 
were  separated  from  the  capital  by  a mountain  barrier 
over  which  there  were  only  three  passes  available  for 
troops,  the  majority  of  the  surviving  clansmen  sought 
and  found  refuge  in  them  during  the  domination  of  the 
Taira  at  Kioto-  Communications  were  opened  by 
Yoritomo  with  all  of  them  whose  whereabouts  could  be 
found,  and  ere  long  a considerable  army  was  gathered 
of  men  who  hated  the  Taira  as  the  authors  of  all  their 
misfortunes,  many  already  veterans  in  service,  all  with 
physique  and  endurance  developed  by  their  rough  and 
arduous  lives,  so  as  to  render  them  individually  far  more 
formidable  than  the  Taira,  who  were  living  in  ease  and 
luxury  at  Kioto  or  Fukuwara.  Recruits  other  than  their 
own  clansmen  at  first  came  in  slowly.  Their  cause  still 
seemed  a forlorn  hope.  One  influential  magnate,  on 
being  asked  to  join,  burst  out  laughing,  and  said  : 


104 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


“Does  the  mouse  propose  to  attack  the  cat?”  Yori- 
tomo,  nothing  daunted,  resolved  to  put  his  fortunes  to 
the  test,  and,  as  an  omen  of  ultimate  success  or  failure, 
to  surprise  the  fort  of  the  Taira  governor  of  the  province, 
the  same  governor  whom  he  had  previously  robbed  of 
his  bride.  Tokiinasa,  the  father  of  the  bride,  led  the 
attack  on  the  fort,  and  if  successful  was  to  signal  the 
result  to  his  waiting  son-in-law  by  kindling  a fire.  The 
fort  was  strong,  but  the  assailants  crossed  the  fosse  and 
forced  an  entry.  An  officer  named  Kagekado  when  in 
the  fort  came  to  a room  where  the  door  was  open  and  a 
light  was  burning.  He  placed  his  helmet  on  his  sword- 
point  and  gently  thrust  it  in  as  if  some  one  were  peeping. 
A blow  was  struck  at  the  helmet  from  within,  whereon 
Kagekado  rushed  in  and  cut  down  the  inmate.  It  was 
the  governor.  The  fort  was  then  set  on  fire  as  the  signal 
to  Yoritomo,  and,  soon  following  the  signal,  the  head 
was  laid  before  him  of  his  rival  in  love,  his  enemy  in 
war,  equally  unfortunate  in  both  aspects.  This  was 
taken  as  an  omen  that  “he  should  give  peace  to  the 
Empire.” 

Secret  plotting  was  now  replaced  by  open  war,  and 
an  initial  success  having  been  gained,  the  local  chiefs, 
who  had  hesitated  before,  now  boldly  joined  Yoritomo’s 
white  banner  and  threw  in  their  lot  with  his.  With 
three  hundred  men  he  took  up  a position  on  Mount 
Ishibashi,  a thickly  wooded  hill  which  rises  at  the  foot 
of  the  Hakone  pass,  a pass  that  is  known  to  every 
European  resident  who  has  ever  sought  relief  from  the 
exhausting  summer  heat  of  the  plains  of  Tokio  in  the 
picturesque  mountains  of  the  Hakone  range.  Here  he 
was  suddenly  attacked  by  a force  that  outnumbered  his 
by  ten  to  one,  which  meant  to  annihilate  him  before 
reinforcements,  which  were  known  to  be  on  the  way, 
could  join  him.  It  was  a night  of  intense  darkness,  and 
the  rain  fell  in  torrents.  Friend  could  with  difficulty  be 


YORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  105 


distinguished  from  foe,  but  in  the  end  Yoritomo  was 
beaten,  and  his  men  broke  and  fled  in  headlong  rout. 
At  dawn,  Yoritomo  was  found  by  six  of  his  own  men 
as  he  was  resting  against  a tree.  They  all  resolved  to 
separate  to  meet  again,  one  only  remaining  with  Yori- 
tomo. The  Taira  pursuers  were  soon  at  hand,  and  both 
hid  themselves  in  the  hollow  trunk  of  a tree.  One  of  the 
enemy  thrust  his  bow  inside  and  searched  the  hollow, 
actually  touching  the  sleeve  of  Yoritomo’s  armour. 
Yoritomo  prayed  fervently  to  Hachiman  for  his  protec- 
tion, and  his  prayer  was  answered.  Two  wood-pigeons 
flew  noisily  out  of  the  hollow,  and  the  Taira  soldiers, 
taking  this  as  a sign  that  no  one  could  be  within, 
abandoned  their  search.  In  reporting  their  victory  at 
Kioto,  they  said,  to  Kiyomori’s  great  joy,  that  Yoritomo 
was  dead.  The  descendants  of  the  Minamoto  have  ever 
since  refrained  from  using  pigeons  as  food. 

After  hiding  for  some  time  in  the  mountains,  and 
being  nearly  betrayed  by  a priest  who  was  a friend  of 
the  Taira  governor  and  wished  to  avenge  his  death, 
Yoritomo  escaped  to  Awa,  on  the  opposite  shore  of  the 
Gulf  of  Tokio,  crossing  the  same  “Running  Water” 
where  Yamato  Dake  was  saved  by  the  sacrifice  of  his 
wife.  Fortune  had  been  cruel  to  him,  but  the  darkest 
moment  precedes  the  dawn.  Nothing  daunted  by  failure, 
he  sent  out  proclamations  far  and  wide  through  all  the 
eight  provinces,  and  they  were  answered  in  such  a way 
that  he  was  soon  once  more  at  the  head  of  a great  army, 
with  which  he  marched  to  Kamakura,  his  old  family  seat. 
There  the  chiefs  of  all  the  eight  provinces  hastened  to 
join  him  with  their  men,  and  ere  a year  had  passed  he 
had  such  numbers  in  his  command  and  so  perfected  all 
his  military  organization  that  he  was  able  to  take  the 
offensive,  and  cross  the  Ashigara  pass  at  the  head  of 
two  hundred  thousand  men.  The  Ashigara  pass  lies 
about  ten  miles  to  the  north  of  Hakone  Lake,  and  is  the 


106 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


most  northern  of  the  three  passes  which  cross  the 
Hakone  range  from  the  eastern  plains  and  give  access 
to  the  South  through  the  province  of  Suruga.  From  it 
the  road  passes  along  the  lower  slopes  of  Mount  Fuji, 
through  long  and  picturesque  avenues  of  venerable  pines 
and  cryptomeria,  to  Gotemba,  the  site,  a few  years  later, 
of  one  of  the  great  hunting  camps  founded  by  Yoritomo 
when  at  the  height  of  his  glory,  now  well  known  to  every 
European  who  has  made  the  ascent  of  Mount  Fuji. 
Along  these  slopes  the  railway  now  runs  from  Tokio  to 
Kioto,  and  everywhere  along  its  route  scenes  of  impres- 
sive beauty  present  themselves  to  the  traveller’s  eye. 
Close  on  his  right,  as  he  journeys  southwards,  Fujiyama 
rises  in  all  its  majestic  grandeur,  while  on  the  left  the 
fertile  slopes,  gradually  descending  to  the  sea-level,  are 
covered  with  cultivated  fields  and  gardens,  the  thatched 
roofs  of  the  farmers’  houses  peeping  out  from  the  midst 
of  groves  of  camellia-trees  that,  in  early  spring,  are  a 
glory  of  bright-red  blossoms.  Now  the  scene  is  one  of 
gentle  beauty,  amidst  which  the  railway  descends  to  the 
mouth  of  the  River  Fuji,  away  to  the  west  of  the  great 
mountain.  It  was  along  the  present  railway  route  that 
Yoritomo  passed  with  his  great  army  in  1189,  through 
what  was  then  a wilderness  of  forest  and  brushwood, 
amidst  which  only  the  wild  boar  and  deer  found  a home. 

Kiyomori’s  joy  at  the  news  he  had  heard  of  Yori- 
tomo’s  death  in  the  fight  at  Mount  Ishibashi  was  short- 
lived. It  was  soon  reported  to  him  that  his  enemy  was 
not  only  alive,  but  full  of  energy  and  hope,  that  recruits 
were  flocking  to  him  in  thousands,  and  that  preparations 
for  a great  campaign  were  in  active  progress  at  Kama- 
kura. Kiyomori,  though  now  old  and  ill,  paying  the 
penalty  in  his  later  years  of  his  debauchery  and  luxury, 
unable  to  take  the  field  himself  and  lead  the  van  of  his 
troops,  as  he  would  have  done  ten  years  earlier,  was  still 
vigorous  in  mind,  and  had  lost  none  of  the  unflinching 


YORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  107 


courage  which  had  raised  him  to  his  high  position.  He 
quickly  organized  a powerful  army,  which  marched 
eastward  from  Kioto  under  the  command  of  his  youngest 
brother,  Tadamori,  and  his  grandson,  Koremori,  to  meet 
and  crush  Yoritomo. 

The  two  armies  came  face  to  face  on  the  banks  of  the 
River  Fuji.  The  Fuji,  descending  sharply  from  the 
eastern  slopes  of  the  mountain,  its  course  in  many  parts 
marked  by  impetuous  rapids  that  rush  through  lofty 
gorges,  down  which,  in  the  present  day,  boatmen  take 
many  parties  of  foreign  tourists  with  marvellous  skill, 
is  always  one  of  the  most  rapidly  flowing  rivers  even  in 
such  a land  of  mountain  torrents  as  Japan.  When  the 
two  armies  faced  each  other  on  the  opposite  banks, 
heavy  rain  had  swollen  the  river,  and  its  current  rushed 
with  even  more  than  usual  violence.  Neither  army  dared 
to  cross  in  front  of  an  entrenched  foe  on  the  other  bank. 
The  Easterns  sent  a herald  to  the  Taira  to  inquire 
whether  a day  and  means  could  not  be  arranged  for  the 
two  armies  to  try  their  fortune  on  equal  terms,  the 
crossing  of  the  river  by  one  being  placed  out  of  bounds 
so  far  as  fighting  was  concerned,  but  the  Taira  vouch- 
safed no  answer.  Then  one  of  the  Eastern  commanders 
secretly  led  a division  northward  over  the  hills,  crossed 
the  river  where  it  was  narrower  by  hanging  bridges — 
fragile  bridges  of  bamboo  rope  and  planks  suspended 
from  either  side  of  a narrow  ravine — and  came  down  at 
night  in  the  rear  of  the  Taira.  As  he  passed  through  the 
marshland,  large  flocks  of  wild  geese  and  duck  rose  with 
loud  cries,  and  the  Taira,  thinking  that  Yoritomo’s 
whole  force  was  on  them,  retreated  in  disorder.  Yori- 
tomo wanted  to  pursue  them  at  once,  but  his  generals 
dissuaded  him.  The  Eastern  provinces  were  not  yet 
wholly  his;  his  force  and  material  were  insufficient  for 
a prolonged  campaign  against  an  enemy  that  had  all  the 
advantages  of  unlimited  wealth  and.  still  more,  which 


108 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


was  thrice  armed,  in  that  it  fought  with  all  consciousness 
of  legal  right  to  defend  the  government  of  the  Divine 
Emperor  against  Yoritomo,  who  was  now,  in  the  eye  of 
the  law,  a rebel.  So  the  army  was  withdrawn  and 
marched  back  to  Kamakura,  where  Yoritomo  devoted 
himself  not  only  to  the  organization  of  his  army,  but 
to  the  founding,  at  the  home  of  his  ancestors,  of  a great 
city  which,  in  size  and  wealth,  would  rival  the  ancient 
capital  of  Kioto,  and  be  a worthy  residence  for  himself 
when  he  had  reached  the  summit  of  his  ambition. 

One  night,  at  the  beginning  of  the  march  backward, 
the  army  bivouacked  outside  the  town  of  Numadzu, 
which  lies  on  the  Tokaido  at  the  western  foot  of  the 
Hakone  pass.  It  was  announced  to  Yoritomo  in  his 
own  apartments  that  a knight  whom  no  one  knew,  about 
twenty  years  of  age,  of  distinguished  mien,  had  sud- 
denly appeared  in  camp  at  the  head  of  twenty  horsemen 
and  demanded  an  interview.  Yoritomo  exclaimed : 
“This  must  be  Kuro  of  Mutsu.  Admit  him  at  once.” 
The  knight  entered  within  the  curtain,  and  it  was 
Yoshitsune  (Kuro  was  his  second  name — “Ninth  Son,” 
corresponding  to  our  Christian  name).  The  brothers 
had  not  met  since  both  were  boys,  captives  in  the  hands 
of  Kiyomori,  apparently  doomed  to  death.  They  wept 
tears  of  joy  together,  hardened  soldiers  though  they 
were.  Yoshitsune,  in  the  far-off  province  of  Mutsu, 
had  heard  of  his  brother’s  uprising,  and  with  a follow- 
ing, small  but  devoted,  had  ridden  night  and  day  to  join 
him.  To  Yoritomo  his  coming  was  as  welcome  “as  if 
the  great  father  of  both  had  risen  from  the  dead.” 

It  has  been  already  told  that  when  the  lives  of 
Tokiwa’s  children  were  spared  it  was  on  the  condition 
that  all  should  be  placed  in  monasteries  and  brought  up 
as  priests.  Yoshitsune,  the  youngest,  a child  in  arms, 
was  for  that  purpose  consigned  to  the  care  of  the  monks 
of  Kuramayama,  a monastery  lying  among  the  hills 


Y ORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  109 


about  ten  miles  to  the  north  of  Kioto.  The  good  Fathers 
did  their  best  to  discharge  honestly  the  trust  that  had 
been  reposed  in  them,  but  they  found  the  task  more 
than  they  could  accomplish.  Their  novice,  though  short 
in  stature,  was  so  strong  that  he  was  called  by  the  name 
of  Ushiwaka — the  young  bull — and  his  fiery  and  im- 
petuous disposition  was  the  reverse  of  that  which 
becomes  a holy  priest.  He  passed  his  days  in  practising 
archery  and  swordsmanship,  in  athletic  exercises  of  all 
kinds,  and  his  nights  in  study,  not  of  books  of  holy  writ, 
but  of  the  history  of  his  own  ancestors,  of  their  proud 
descent,  their  exploits,  their  glory  and  their  downfall, 
and  the  story  stirred  his  boyish  heart  with  a passionate 
desire  to  emulate  all  they  had  done,  to  avenge  what  they 
had  suffered.  The  priests  were  at  their  wits’  end  with 
him.  In  vain  they  urged  him  to  shave  his  head  as  the 
outward  manifestation  of  an  irrevocable  decision  to 
become  a member  of  the  priesthood,  pointing  out  to 
him  that  it  was  the  one  and  only  way  to  ensure  his 
safety  while  the  great  tyrant  was  alive  and  the  Taira  at 
the  zenith  of  their  power;  but  his  answer  was  : “My  two 
brothers  have  become  priests,  and  I am  ashamed  of 
them.  Am  I to  imitate  them?”  At  last  he  escaped 
from  the  monastery  with  the  aid  of  a travelling  gold- 
smith who  was  on  his  way  to  Mutsu,  and  the  monks, 
thankful  to  be  rid  of  one  who  was  a perpetual  disturb- 
ance to  their  monastic  decorum,  made  no  attempt  to 
pursue  him.  The  Province  of  Mutsu,  in  the  far  North, 
was  governed  by  an  official  of  the  Fujiwara  family.  It 
was  still  the  wild  background  of  Japan,  still  untranquil- 
lized, still  inhabited  by  wild  aborigines  who  were  a 
constant  source  of  danger  to  the  scattered  Japanese 
colonists.  Kiyomori  had  not  thought  it  worth  his 
attention,  or  the  expense  and  difficulties  of  a campaign 
that  would  bring  him  no  material  profit  and  be  both 
costly  and  difficult.  So  it  was  safe  from  his  far-reaching 


110 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


hand.  Here  the  governor  was  glad  to  welcome  so 
promising  and  high-born  a recruit.  This  was  in  the 
year  1174,  and  Yoshitsune  was  then  fifteen  years  old. 
During  the  succeeding  years  he  had  his  fill  of  active 
service,  and  became  a daring  and  experienced  soldier. 

The  stories  that  are  told  of  his  exploits  both  at  this 
period  of  his  life  and  in  its  later  stages  are  endless,  and 
still  delight  the  high-spirited  school-boys  who  love  to 
see  in  them  the  mirror  of  all  the  daring  and  fortitude 
that  are  the  glory  of  the  national  chivalry.  While  still 
little  more  than  a boy,  a bandit,  notorious  for  his 
strength  and  skill  at  arms,  stole  a horse  from  the  camp, 
but  was  pursued  and  overtaken.  Sword  in  hand,  with 
his  back  against  a tree,  he  defied  his  pursuers,  and  none 
but  Yoshitsune  dared  to  approach  him.  Yoshitsune 
disarmed  and  took  him  single-handed.  On  another 
occasion  a large  band  of  robbers  boldly  attacked  the 
camp.  In  the  fight  Yoshitsune  slew  four  of  them. 
Once,  in  later  years,  on  the  bridge  of  Gojo,  near  Kioto, 
he  was  attacked  by  a noted  robber,  eight  feet  in  height, 
“stronger  than  a hundred  men”;  Yoshitsune  disarmed 
him  and  forced  him  to  sue  for  mercy.  This  was  Benkei, 
who  vowed,  and  kept  his  vow,  that  he  would  serve  and 
never  part  from  his  victor,  that  he  would  be  his  true 
man  till  death,  and  Benkei’s  exploits  in  his  master’s 
service  are  only  less  joy  to  the  school-boy  than  those  of 
his  heroic  and  high-born  master.  When  Yoritomo  was 
in  doubt  as  to  which  of  his  younger  brothers  he  should 
entrust  with  the  command  of  the  army  after  the  death 
of  Yoshinaka,  he  heated  a metal  water-jug  red-hot,  and 
called  upon  each  brother  in  turn  to  serve  him  with  it. 
All  except  Yoshitsune  dropped  it  as  soon  as  they  took  it 
into  their  hands.  He  alone  held  it  till  his  lord  and 
brother’s  requirements  were  satisfied.  When  he  was 
commander-in-chief  of  the  great  expedition  that  was 
pursuing  the  flying  Taira  on  the  way  to  Dan  no  Ura,  a 


YORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  111 


skirmish  took  place  near  Takamatsu,  a town  about  half- 
way down  the  Inland  Sea.  The  Taira  retreated  to  their 
boats,  and  Yoshitsune,  leading  the  pursuit,  rode  after 
them  into  the  sea.  There  he  dropped  his  bow,  and  as 
he  stooped  from  his  saddle  to  recover  it  the  Taira,  from 
their  boats,  eager  to  capture  such  a prisoner,  tried  to 
take  him  by  fastening  a long  hook  into  his  helmet. 
Yoshitsune  parried  the  hook  with  his  sword  in  one  hand, 
and  with  the  other  still  sought  his  bow.  His  own  men, 
from  the  beach,  implored  him  to  come  back,  but  he 
would  not  till  he  was  able  to  bring  the  bow  with  him. 
The  enemy  rained  arrows  around  him  from  their  boats 
as  he  retreated,  but  a brave  soldier  covered  him  with  his 
own  body  and  received  the  arrows  intended  for  the 
general.  Yoshitsune  helped  the  dying  man  ashore,  and 
then,  as  he  breathed  his  last,  held  his  head  in  his  own 
lap  and  thanked  him  for  what  he  had  done.  All  the 
army  were  proud  and  ready  to  die  for  a leader  who  could 
be  at  once  so  brave  and  kind. 

It  was  in  the  year  after  the  retreat  from  the  Fuji  that 
Kiyomori  died,  and  the  master-mind  that  had  created 
the  glories  of  the  Taira  was  lost  to  them  in  their  hour  of 
peril.  It  now  began  to  be  felt  that  the  Taira  was  a 
losing  cause,  and  their  enemies,  who,  without  affection 
for  or  interest  in  the  fortunes  of  the  Minamoto,  hated  the 
Taira  for  their  cruelty,  tyranny  and  greed,  who  had  only 
submitted  to  them  through  fear,  hastened  to  join  the 
leader  of  what  was  becoming  a national  crusade.  It  is 
not  necessary  in  this  volume  to  follow  all  the  details  of 
a campaign  that  was  carried  through  the  Provinces  of 
Mino  and  Omi  under  the  command  of  Yoritomo’s  uncle, 
Yukiuji,  and  his  cousin,  Yoshinaka.  Yoritomo  himself 
remained  at  the  base,  Kamakura.  No  one  could  doubt 
his  courage,  and  from  the  base  he  could  superintend  all 
the  operations  of  the  different  armies  that  were  fighting 
for  him.  The  Taira  resisted  every  step  of  the  advancing 


112 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Eastern  armies,  and  had  some  gleams  of  temporary 
success ; but  these  successes  were  invariably  followed  by 
greater  victories  of  their  foes.  Once  the  whole  Taira 
army  was  driven  over  the  brink  of  a deep  ravine,  and 
more  than  twenty  thousand  men  met  their  death  by 
falling  into  the  ravine,  and  it  was  so  filled  that  the  victors 
were  able  to  cross  on  their  piled-up  corpses.  On  another 
occasion  panic  seized  them  at  a bridge,  and  as  they 
crowded  across  it  more  than  a thousand  men  fell  from 
the  bridge  and  were  drowned  in  the  river  below.  At  last 
the  conquerors  entered  into  Kioto  in  triumph,  carrying 
the  white  banner  where  it  was  thought  it  would  never 
have  been  seen  again.  Munemori,  Kiyomori’s  son  and 
heir,  fled  from  the  capital  to  his  palace  and  fortress  at 
Fukuwara,  taking  with  him  his  nephew,  the  young 
Emperor  Antoku,  and  the  sacred  regalia  of  the  crown 
that  were  kept  in  the  Imperial  palace,  and  by  so  doing 
still  preserved  for  himself  and  his  followers  the  status 
of  loyalists. 

In  the  general  massacre  of  the  Minamoto  after  Yoshi- 
tomo’s  death,  Yoshinaka,  then  a boy,  was,  like  his 
cousins,  Yoritomo  and  Yoshitsune,  ordered  for  execu- 
tion, but  his  jailors  spared  him  and  hid  him.  While  a 
boy,  living  in  obscurity,  the  only  sports  in  which  he 
would  take  part  with  his  fellows  were  those  in  which 
they  played  at  soldiers,  and  as  he  grew  up  he  developed 
unusual  physical  strength  and  skill  as  a mounted  archer. 
His  rough  upbringing  among  social  inferiors  gave  him 
no  chance  of  acquiring  the  polish  of  a courtier,  even 
that  of  a squire.  His  manners  were  coarse  and  vulgar; 
he  had  no  patience  with  the  etiquette  and  ceremony  of 
a court,  and  he  soon  became  an  object  of  hatred  to  the 
courtiers  who  remained  in  Kioto  after  the  flight  of  the 
Emperor,  and  of  ridicule  to  the  mass  of  the  inhabitants, 
who  wrere  accustomed  to  look  for  all  the  outward  mani- 
festations of  dignity  and  rank  in  their  rulers.  He  was  a 


YORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  113 


valiant  and  capable  soldier,  but  all  the  life  he  knew  in 
his  manhood  was  that  of  the  camp,  and  that  did  not 
supply  the  deficiencies  in  the  training  of  his  youth.  He 
was  also  proud  and  overbearing.  He  had  led  the  con- 
quering army  to  Kioto.  He  had  performed  great  serv- 
ices, had  borne  the  brunt  of  the  fighting  while  the  head 
of  his  family,  for  whose  sake  he  fought,  remained  in 
safety  at  Kamakura,  but  he  set  an  extravagant  estimate 
on  what  he  had  done.  In  his  pride  he  forgot  that  he 
was  a vassal,  and  assumed  in  his  triumph  at  Kioto  the 
airs  and  powers  of  an  irresponsible  dictator.  Yoritomo 
was  not  the  man  to  admit  any  equal  with  him  in 
authority.  He  remonstrated  with  his  cousin  in  vain. 
Then  he  determined  to  crush  him.  Yoshitsune,  who 
had  not  taken  part  in  the  march  on  Kioto,  was  recalled 
from  the  North,  where  he  had  been  sent  to  collect  troops, 
and  placed  in  command  of  a new  army,  with  orders  to 
take  or  destroy  his  cousin. 

The  common  foes  of  all  the  Taira,  who  were  still 
powerful,  though  so  often  defeated,  were  now  to  fight 
against  each  other.  Yoritomo  still  remained  at  Kama- 
kura, but  showed  his  prescience  as  a strategist  by  his 
instructions  to  Yoshitsune:  “If  Yoshinaka  is  taken  at 
all,  it  will  be  at  the  River  Uji.  Take  care  that  you 
have  men  and  good  horses  to  carry  them  across  the 
river.” 

Japanese  have  a peculiar  custom  of  giving  different 
names  to  one  and  the  same  river,  the  names  varying  with 
the  districts  through  which  the  river  flows  in  its  course 
from  source  to  sea.  The  River  Yodo  flows  out  of  Lake 
Biwa  and  enters  the  sea  at  Osaka.  In  its  course  it 
passes  through  the  tea-growing  district  of  Uji,  justly 
famed  for  centuries  for  producing  the  finest  tea  that  is 
grown  in  all  Japan.  As  it  flows  between  the  prosperous 
towns  of  Uji  and  Fushimi  in  this  district  it  is  called 
the  Uji,  and  it  was  on  its  banks  that  Yoritomo  rightly 

i 


114 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


foresaw  that  Yoshinaka  would  make  his  stand.  Near 
the  town  of  Uji  is  a Buddhist  monastery,  Byodo-In, 
renowned  for  its  Phoenix  Hall,  and  it  was  in  this 
monastery  that  Yoshitsune  took  up  his  position  when 
about  to  force  the  passage  of  the  river.  He  had  twenty- 
five  thousand  men  with  him.  Yoshinaka  defended  the 
opposite  bank  with  a thousand,  but  he  had  stripped  the 
bridge  of  its  planks,  and  had  planted  stockades  and 
occupied  a strong  defensive  position.  Yoshitsune  beat 
the  drum  of  the  monastery  to  command  attention,  and 
then  issued  his  orders  that  the  main  strength  was  to 
swim  the  river,  while  the  best  archers  should  cover  them 
from  the  standing  beams  and  posts  of  the  bridge.  The 
passage  was  disputed  to  the  last,  but  it  was  made, 
though  at  heavy  loss  to  the  victors.  Yoshinaka,  with 
the  few  survivors  of  his  gallant  thousand,  fled  to  Kioto. 
The  Easterns  were  hot  on  his  trail,  there  was  no  abiding 
place  for  him  there,  and  he  paused  only  to  take  leave 
of  his  wife.  In  the  first  days  of  his  triumph  he  had 
married  a daughter  of  the  Fujiwara,  and  the  high-born, 
gentle  lady  of  the  court  had  won  the  heart  of  the  rough 
and  uncouth  soldier.  He  dallied  so  long  in  her  company 
that  two  of  his  men  remonstrated  with  him,  and  gave 
the  usual  Japanese  emphasis  to  their  remonstrances  by 
committing  hara-kiri  at  the  gate  of  his  palace.  Then 
he  fled  once  more,  and  all  that  remained  faithful  to  him 
of  the  great  army  he  had  so  lately  commanded  and  led 
to  victory  were  three  hundred  horsemen.  His  pursuing 
foes — his  own  kith  and  kin — were  close  behind  him,  and 
his  flight  was  a continued  battle.  At  last  only  thirteen 
men  remained  to  him,  and  they  were  surrounded  by 
thousands.  Yoshinaka  tried  to  gain  a hill  on  which  to 
make  a last  stand,  but  his  horse  got  bogged  in  a rice- 
swamp,  and  as  he  struggled  to  get  through  an  arrow 
struck  him  on  the  head  and  killed  him.  Two  of  his 
followers,  to  whom  he  was  strangely  related,  had  clung 


Y ORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  115 


to  him  to  the  last  moment.  He  had  a mistress  named 
Tomoye,  a woman  of  extraordinary  strength  and  stature, 
who  rode  and  fought  as  a man  among  his  knights. 
When  the  pursuers  were  close  to  him,  she  turned  and 
with  one  sword-stroke  killed  their  leader.  Yoshinaka 
begged  her  to  save  herself,  saying  : “I  am  going  to  die. 
What  will  be  said  of  me  if  I take  my  mistress  with 
me?”  She  begged  to  be  allowed  to  die  with  him,  but, 
as  fie  insisted,  she  bade  farewell  to  him  with  tears  and 
left  him.  Her  brother,  Kanehira,  stood  by  his  leader 
and  fought  vigorously  to  the  last.  He  had  only  eight 
arrows  left  in  his  quiver,  but  with  every  arrow  he  slew 
an  enemy.  Then  hearing  a cry  that  his  lord  was  dead, 
he  said:  “My  work  is  done,”  and  fell  from  his  horse 
on  his  own  sword  and  died.  Tomoye  escaped  and  made 
her  wa y to  the  distant  province  of  Echigo,  where  she 
became  a nun,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  her  life  in 
praying  for  her  lover’s  happiness  in  the  next  world. 

The  tragedy  did  not  end  with  the  death  of  the 
principal  character.  His  son  had  married  Yoritomo’s 
daughter,  and  remained  at  Kamakura  as  the  guest  of 
his  father-in-law,  in  reality  as  hostage  for  his  father. 
When  the  father  rebelled  against  Yoritomo,  the  son 
endeavoured  to  escape,  but  was  taken,  and  had  to  pay 
the  last  penalty  for  his  father’s  crime.  Yoritomo  wished 
to  marry  his  widow  to  one  of  the  Fujiwara,  to  directly 
ally  his  family  with  the  most  noble  house  in  the  Empire; 
but  subservient  though  daughters  in  Japan  are  to  their 
fathers’  wishes,  trained  as  they  are  from  birth  to  practise 
the  extreme  of  self-abnegation,  here  the  daughter  had 
her  father’s  courage  and  determination,  the  spirit  of  a 
true  daughter  of  a Samurai,  and  the  memory  of  her 
young,  slaughtered  husband  was  too  dear  to  her  to 
permit  her  to  give  herself  to  another,  and  so  she  killed 
herself  with  her  dead  husband’s  sword. 

Yoshinaka  being  dead,  the  chief  command  of  the 


116 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Minamoto  army,  in  Yoritomo’s  absence,  devolved  on 
Yoshitsune.  The  Taira,  while  the  Minamoto  were  at 
war  among  themselves,  had  recovered  both  strength  and 
spirit.  They  had  been  reinforced  by  large  levies  of 
troops  from  the  South,  and  they  had  strongly  entrenched 
themselves  at  Fukuwara,  converting  Kiyomori’s  great 
palace  into  a formidable  fortress.  Fukuwara  lies  close 
to  the  sea  on  the  banks  of  the  River  Minato,  the  western 
boundary  of  the  modern  town  of  Kobe.  It  is  a site  of 
great  natural  beauty,  with  a background  of  thickly 
wooded  hills,  and  in  the  foreground  the  blue  waters  of 
the  Izumi  Nada,  the  Bay  of  Izumi,  which  at  the  present 
day  are  always  enlivened  by  the  numerous  ships  that 
pass  in  and  out  of  the  great  commercial  port.  The  bank 
of  the  river  is  a favourite  walk  of  the  European  mer- 
chants and  traders  of  Kobe,  few  of  whom,  as  they  stroll 
through  the  long  avenue  of  venerable  pine-trees,  give 
even  a passing  thought — if  indeed  they  have  any  know- 
ledge at  all  of  them — to  the  great  events  of  which  the 
riverside  was  once  the  scene,  though  to  the  people 
among  whom  they  live,  with  whom  they  trade,  by.  whom 
they  are  now  governed,  these  events  are  as  full  of  interest 
as  those  of  Bannockburn  or  Culloden  are  to  the  most 
devoted  lover  of  his  country  in  Scotland.  Here,  the 
Taira  were  so  strong  that  they  planned  an  advance  on 
Kioto  and  the  recovery  of  their  influence  in  the  ancient 
capital.  But  they  had  an  enemy  who  did  not  loiter. 
Marching  by  night,  and  lighting  the  way  for  his  troops 
by  burning  the  houses  on  the  road,  Yoshitsune  sud- 
denly appeared  before  the  fortress.  The  Taira  lines 
extended  on  either  side  of  the  fortress  for  a total  dis- 
tance of  eight  miles,  from  the  temple  of  Ikuta  in  the 
immediate  rear  of  the  European  residential  quarters  at 
Kobe,  to  the  valley  known  as  Ichi  no  Tani,  which  runs 
from  the  shore  to  the  hills  between  Kobe  and  Akashi. 
At  the  entrance  to  this  valley  the  Taira  had  established 


YORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  117 


their  strongest  post,  and  their  defences,  made  as  strong 
as  engineering  science  of  the  day  could  effect,  extended 
from  the  valley  to  the  sea,  while  off  the  shore  a large 
fleet  was  anchored  from  which  archers  could  maintain 
a heavy  flank  fire  on  the  enemy  advancing  by  the 
shore.  Ichi  no  Tani  was  the  scene  of  the  greatest 
struggle  in  the  battle  which  raged  along  the  entire  line, 
and  it  is  by  that  name  that  the  battle  is  historically 
known.  Twice  the  Minamoto  were  beaten  back  from 
the  strong  earthworks  with  heavy  loss,  and  many  of 
their  best  officers  were  killed.  Then,  as  night  fell,  a 
boy  was  found,  the  son  of  an  old  hunter  who,  had  passed 
his  whole  life  among  the  hills,  and  the  boy  knew  them 
as  well  as  the  father.  He  said  there  was  a path,  but  it 
was  so  steep  as  to  be  fit  for  neither  men  nor  horses, 
only  deer  could  descend  it.  Yoshitsune  answered, 
“Where  a deer  can  go,  so  also  can  a horse.”  In  the 
darkness  of  the  night  Yoshitsune  led  three  thousand 
men  to  the  summit  of  the  pass,  which  they  reached 
just  as  the  day  broke,  and  from  the  summit  they  could 
look  down  on  the  battlefield  below  and  on  the  inside  of 
the  Taira  defences.  But  the  descent  was  as  forbidding 
as  the  guide  had  foretold.  It  was  many  hundred  feet 
in  height,  and  steep  as  a precipice.  The  horsemen 
looked  at  each  other,  but  none  dared  to  lead  the  down- 
ward way.  Then  Yoshitsune  whipped  his  horse,  forced 
it  to  the  bank  and  slid  down,  reaching  the  bottom  in 
safety,  and,  when  he  had  done  so,  his  men  followed 
him.  They  were  now  in  the  rear  of  the  Taira,  where 
their  defences  were  open.  At  once,  knee  to  knee  and 
helmet  to  helmet,  they  charged,  and  the  Taira,  taken 
suddenly  in  the  rear,  were  seized  with  panic,  and  broke 
and  fled  for  refuge  to  their  ships.  A hideous  scene  of 
carnage  followed.  The  panic-struck  fugitives  were  cut 
down  in  thousands  by  the  victors.  Thousands  more 
were  drowned.  Even  then  the  ships  could  not  receive 


118 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


half  the  survivors,  and  the  crews,  to  prevent  swamping, 
were  obliged  to  beat  back  the  soldiers,  who  fought  in 
frantic  terror  to  climb  on  board,  so  that  the  ships  were 
filled  with  amputated  arms  and  hands.  The  loss  was 
not  confined  to  the  rank  and  file.  Of  Kiyomori’s  own 
family,  a brother,  two  sons,  two  grandsons  and  five 
nephews  were  among  the  slain,  and  the  story  of  the 
death  of  the  youngest  among  them  is,  amidst  all  the 
romantic  incidents  in  Japanese  history,  the  one  that, 
next  to  that  of  Tokiwa,  still  appeals  most  strongly  to 
the  compassion  of  the  Japanese. 

The  story  is  that  of  Atsumori,  the  youngest  son  of 
Kiyomori’s  youngest  brother,  a boy  of  singular  beauty 
and  delicate  frame,  scarce  sixteen  years  of  age.  When 
the  panic  occurred,  he,  with  the  rest,  endeavoured  to 
escape  to  the  ships.  When  he  saw  the  maddened 
crowds  struggling  around  them,  he  stayed  his  horse  for 
a moment  in  the  sea,  then  turned  him  round  to  the 
shore  to  face  his  pursuing  foes  and  die  in  a manner 
worthy  of  one  who  belonged  to  a noble  family  of 
warriors.  He  had  scarcely  reached  the  beach  when 
he  was  attacked  by  Kumagai  Naozane,  a strong  and 
veteran  soldier  of  the  Minamoto.  He  defended  himself 
valiantly,  but  was  overborne  by  Kumagai’s  greater 
strength  and  skill,  and  at  length  lay  prostrate  on  the 
ground.  Seeing  by  his  armour  that  he  was  of  high 
rank,  Kumagai  dismounted  to  take  his  brave  enemy’s 
head  as  the  custom  was,  but  when  he  knelt  on  his  chest 
and  pulled  off  the  helmet  so  that  he  might  cut  off  the 
head  with  greater  ease,  he  discovered  the  handsome 
boyish  face  beneath.  For  a moment  his  pity  was  stirred 
and  he  was  minded  to  spare  the  boy’s  life  and  give  him 
one  more  chance  to  fly.  But  his  gentle  mood  was  of 
short  duration.  The  chances  of  escape  for  the  boy  were 
remote  in  such  a debacle.  The  head  of  such  a noble 
was  too  great  a prize  to  be  lightly  foregone,  and  if 


YORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  119 


Kumagai  did  not  take  it,  some  of  his  comrades,  less 
pitiful  than  he,  would  be  sure  to  do  so.  So  he  hardened 
his  heart  and  cut  off  the  head  of  the  boy,  who  had 
scorned  to  utter  a single  word  in  appeal  for  mercy.  But 
remorse  soon  seized  the  victor.  The  noble  face  haunted 
him  for  ever.  His  lifelong  trade  of  arms,  which  de- 
manded such  horrors,  became  loathsome  to  him,  and  he 
became  a Buddhist  priest,  and  spent  the  rest  of  his  days 
in  the  monastery  of  Kurodani  at  Kioto.  A pine-tree 
still  stands  in  the  yard  of  the  monastery,  on  which  he 
is  said  to  have  hung  his  own  armour  when  he  doffed 
it  for  the  last  time,  and  two  simple  monuments  mark  the 
graves  in  which  he  and  his  victim’s  head  are  buried. 
Two  elder  brothers  of  Atsumori  fell  on  the  same  day. 
Their  father  was  present,  but  escaped  only  to  die  in  the 
following  year,  in  the  final  holocaust  of  all  his  kindred. 
A brother  of  Kiyomori  was  taken  prisoner,  sent  all  the 
long  wray  to  Kamakura  in  a cage,  and  there  executed. 

A year  and  a quarter  passed  away.  The  Taira  re- 
organized themselves  and  gathered  a fleet  of  five 
hundred  ships  in  the  long  and  narrow  straits  of  Shimo- 
noseki,  the  western  outlet  of  the  Inland  Sea  of  Japan 
to  the  China  Sea.  They  had  been  beaten  on  land,  but 
they  had  yet  to  test  their  fortune  on  the  seas,  and  as 
sailors  they  had  greater  experience  than  the  Minamoto. 
But  the  latter  had  now  greater  resources,  and  Yoshitsune 
was  able  to  follow  them  with  a fleet  of  seven  hundred 
ships,  whose  crews  gained  experience  as  they  slowly 
made  their  way  through  the  channels  of  the  Inland  Sea. 
At  last  the  two  fleets  met  in  the  straits  on  a bright 
morning  in  May.  The  Taira  were  about  to  fight  for 
their  very  existence.  They  had  been  driven  from  point 
to  point  the  whole  way  from  Kioto.  They  had  been 
pursued  “as  the  hawk  urges  the  pheasants  when  the 
moors  are  burnt  and  no  cover  is  left.”  Occasionally 
successes  had  contributed  to  lengthen  their  long 


120 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


struggles  and  to  prevent  them  losing  all  confidence  in 
themselves  and  their  leaders,  and  now  that  the  first  trial 
of  strength  on  the  sea  had  come,  they  hoped  that  the 
day  would  be  the  beginning  of  the  retrieval  of  their 
fallen  fortunes.  With  them,  on  board,  were  their  wives 
and  children,  whom  they  had  carried  with  them  in  their 
flight  from  the  East,  who  could  find  no  safe  refuge 
elsewhere,  when  all  the  land  was  overrun  with  the  con- 
quering and  merciless  Minamoto.  A still  more  sacred 
charge  was  the  young  Emperor,  their  divine  sovereign, 
the  descendant  of  the  Gods  of  Heaven,  whom  it  was 
their  duty  to  protect  at  all  cost  from  sacrilegious  hands. 
He  had  been  carried  with  them  throughout  the  whole 
retreat  from  Kioto,  and  was  now  on  board  the  flagship, 
in  which  were  also  his  mother,  the  Empress,  and  Kiyo- 
mori’s  widow.  The  head  of  the  Taira,  Munemori,  the 
son  who  succeeded  Kiyomori,  was  in  supreme  com- 
mand, and  in  the  other  ships  were  all  the  members  of 
his  family  who  had  survived  to  that  day,  all  determined 
to  conquer  or  to  die  as  became  noble  warriors.  The 
Minamoto  ships  were  unencumbered  by  women  and 
children.  They  came  to  the  attack  with  untried  sailors, 
but  with  a long  record  of  victory  on  land  behind  them, 
under  a leader  who  had  never  known  defeat,  with  the 
prospect  of  exterminating  their  hated  foes.  The  Taira 
fought  with  the  courage  of  desperation.  The  first 
Minamoto  attack  was  beaten  back.  The  narrowness  of 
the  straits  prevented  the  simultaneous  employment  of 
their  whole  fleet,  but  they  had  a reserve  of  fresh  ships 
to  bring  up  when  the  first  line  was  beaten,  and  they 
soon  rallied  and  came  on  again.  This  time  they  were 
aided  by  treachery.  Taguchi  Shigeyoshi,  a Taira  com- 
mander, who  had  brought  a strong  force  of  ships  and 
men  from  Kiushiu,  allied  with  the  Taira  though  not 
of  their  blood,  had  previously  been  in  traitorous  corre- 
spondence with  Yoshitsune.  In  the  crisis  of  the  action 


YORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  121 


he  deserted  his  flag,  and,  with  the  ships  under  his  com- 
mand, crossed  over  to  the  enemy,  after  first  remaining 
a passive  spectator  for  a while  until  he  saw  how  the 
day  was  going,  and  turned  his  arrow  fire  on  his  former 
comrades.  His  desertion  left  the  Taira  hopelessly  out- 
numbered, and  decided  the  fortune  of  the  day.  Guided 
by  the  traitor,  Yoshitsune  marshalled  all  his  strength 
against  the  flagship  and  boarded  it  himself.  He  was 
driven  back,  and  Noritsune,  a nephew  of  Kiyomori,  as 
young  and  brave  and  active  as  Yoshitsune,  followed 
him  so  vigorously  that  he  was  obliged  to  seek  refuge  in 
another  ship.  Then  Noritsune,  left  alone  in  his  enemy’s 
ship,  which  had  now  cast  off  from  his  own,  with  certain 
death  before  him,  jumped  into  the  sea  and  was  drowned. 
Omens  came  to  inspire  the  Minamoto  with  courage  and 
fill  the  Taira  hearts  with  gloom.  Yoritomo’s  life  was 
once  saved  by  a pair  of  doves.  Another  pair  now  flew 
to  Yoshitsune’s  ship  while  the  action  was  at  its  height, 
and  lit  on  his  flagstaff.  The  Minamoto  flag  appeared 
in  a dense  mass  of  black  clouds  which  came  from  the 
East  and  darkened  what  had  hitherto  been  the  brightest 
May  day  of  glorious  sunshine.  Yoshitsune  again  came 
to  the  attack  with  fresh  ships  and  men,  and  the  Taira 
flagship  was  taken.  All  was  now  over  except  the 
slaughter  of  the  beaten.  Those  who  stuck  to  their  ships 
were  now  largely  outnumbered  by  their  foes,  and,  fight- 
ing to  the  last,  were  cut  down  and  speared  without 
mercy.  The  sea  was  red  with  their  blood.  Both  shores 
of  the  straits  were  lined  with  Minamoto  cavalry,  who 
had  been  leisurely  watching  the  progress  of  the  long 
naval  action,  and  as  the  Taira  sailors,  whose  ships  w'ere 
sunk  or  taken,  struggled  through  the  swift  current  of 
the  straits  to  the  shore,  swimming  or  borne  on  the 
wreckage  of  their  ships,  wearied  and  nearly  all  wounded, 
the  horsemen  galloped  to  meet  them  as  they  endeavoured 
to  land  after  having  been  carried  by  the  rapid  current 


122 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


miles  perhaps  from  the  scene  of  the  action,  and  butchered 
them  ruthlessly.  When  night  fell  the  Taira  had  been 
exterminated.  A handful  escaped  and  hid  themselves 
in  the  wild  and  unknown  mountain  recesses  on  the 
borders  of  the  provinces  of  Higo  and  Hiuga  in  Kiushiu, 
where  they  were  entirely  lost  to  sight.  Their  very 
existence  was  unknown  till  many  years  later,  long  after 
their  ruthless  conquerors  had  ceased  to  be  a powerful 
political  factor,  and  they  have  ever  since  lived,  and  live 
to  this  day,  in  this  lonely  district  in  seclusion,  entirely 
apart  from  the  rest  of  their  countrymen.  Many  of  their 
wives  and  daughters  were  saved  alive.  Without  dis- 
tinction of  rank  or  class,  gently  born  and  delicately 
reared  ladies,  the  humbler  wives  of  the  lower  officers 
and  men  and  serving  wenches,  all  alike  were  given  as 
prostitutes  to  the  conquerors.  Kiyomori’s  own  family, 
which  in  the  hour  of  his  pride  he  thought  to  establish 
for  ever  as  rulers  of  the  Empire,  was  wiped  out  of  exist- 
ence. Two  of  his  brothers,  one  the  father  of  Atsumori, 
one  son  and  two  grandsons  were  killed  in  action.  Mune- 
mori,  his  son  and  successor  to  his  rank  and  titles,  was 
taken  alive.  Along  with  his  own  son,  who  was  also 
taken  alive,  he  was  sent  in  a cage  to  Kamakura,  a 
journey  of  over  five  hundred  miles,  taking  months  to 
perform.  There  both  father  and  son  were  made  to 
walk  barefoot  seven  times  round  Yoshitomo’s  tomb,  and 
then  both  were  executed  as  common  criminals,  and  their 
heads  exposed  on  the  prison  gates.  Kiyomori’s  widow, 
worthy  spouse  of  the  great  soldier  and  dictator,  scorn- 
ing to  yield,  took  the  child  Emperor  and,  despite  his 
mother’s  entreaties,  threw  herself  into  the  sea.  The 
mother,  the  ex-Empress,  followed  her,  but  she  was 
hooked  up  by  the  Minamoto  sailors  and  saved  and  taken 
into  Yoshitsune’s  own  ship.  A general  proscription 
was  ordered,  and  Taira  were  sought  for  throughout  the 
Empire.  Little  children,  born  of  mothers  of  other 


YORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  123 


blood,  had  been  left  with  their  maternal  relatives  in 
Kioto.  Their  fathers’  blood  was  their  condemnation, 
and  they  were  slaughtered  without  pity.  Neither  age 
nor  sex  afforded  any  protection  against  even  a suspicion 
of  kindred  with  the  unhappy  race.  The  men  were  uni- 
versally condemned  to  die,  the  women  to  die  or  to  a 
worse  fate. 

Yoshitsune  returned  in  triumph  to  Kioto  after  his 
great  victory  at  Dan  no  Ura,  bringing  with  him  his 
prisoners  and  the  heads  of  the  most  noble  of  the  slain 
Taira.  Thence  he  proceeded  to  Kamakura  to  lay  all  at 
the  feet  of  his  lord  and  elder  brother,  for  whom  he  had 
fought.  Slanderers  had,  however,  been  whispering  ill 
of  him  into  Yoritomo’s  ears,  and  Yoritomo,  who,  not- 
withstanding all  his  great  qualities,  had  the  jealousy 
and  spite  of  ignoble  minds  and  was  beginning  to  dread 
that  his  brother’s  renown  might  overcloud  his  own,  lent 
a ready  ear  to  the  slanders.  Tokimasa,  his  father-in- 
law,  anxious  to  be  his  sole  councillor,  to  have  no  rival 
in  his  thought  or  affection  such  as  Yoshitsune,  a hero, 
of  his  own  blood,  might  naturally  be,  encouraged  the 
suspicions  and  jealousy  that  were  growing  in  his  heart, 
and  when  Yoshitsune  reached  the  little  village  of  Koshi- 
goye,  only  a few  miles  to  the  west  of  Kamakura,  he 
found  there  orders  from  his  brother  not  to  proceed 
further.  Publicly  humiliated,  with  a heart  full  of  grief 
at  the  consciousness  of  unrequited  merit,  but  still  loyal 
and  affectionate  to  the  only  brother  that  was  left  to 
him,  the  only  surviving  member  besides  himself  of  their 
father’s  family,  he  sent  him  a letter  in  which  he  re- 
counted the  struggles  of  his  childhood  and  youth  and 
the  services  he  had  rendered,  and  besought  the  brother’s 
forgiveness  for  aught  in  which  he  might  unwittingly 
have  erred,  and  his  protection  in  the  future.  The  draft 
of  the  letter  is  still  preserved  at  the  monastery  in  the 
village.  It  is  said  to  have  been  written  by  the  faithful 


124 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Benkei,  and  is  full  of  infinite  pathos  from  beginning  to 
end.  Yoshitsune  having  waited  at  Koshigoye  in  vain 
for  an  answer,  returned  to  Kioto,  not  now  as  a proud 
and  triumphant  conqueror,  but  as  one  who  was  in  the 
cold  shade  of  disfavour  with  the  real  master  of  the 
Empire.  His  brother’s  malignity  followed  him,  and 
descended  so  low  as  to  cause  an  attempt  to  be  made  to 
assassinate  him.  When  this  failed,  he  resolved  to  lead 
a military  expedition  to  Kioto  himself  and  there  take 
Yoshitsune;  but  before  he  had  advanced  far  on  his  way, 
he  heard  that  Yoshitsune  had  fled.  He  then  returned 
to  his  capital,  and  there  passed  sentence  of  outlawry  on 
Yoshitsune. 

The  latter  at  first  took  refuge  in  Yoshino,  a moun- 
tainous district  in  the  south  of  Yamashiro,  famed  far 
and  wide  for  the  beauty  of  its  cherry-trees,  the  groves 
of  which  cover  the  slopes  of  the  hills  all  round  the  little 
town  that  bears  the  name  of  the  district,  and  in  spring, 
when  their  branches  are  hidden  beneath  a mass  of  pink 
and  white  blossoms,  they  present  a wondrous  scene  of 
delicate  beauty.  No  spot  in  the  world  could  afford  a 
fairer  refuge;  in  none  is  there  such  a combination  of  the 
softest  and  wildest  aspects  of  nature.  Only  a little  way 
beyond  the  dell  where  thousands  of  happy  picnickers 
annually  come  in  springtime  to  revel  in  the  joys  of  the 
fairest  flowers  of  Japan  there  are  still  dense  forests  and 
impenetrable  brushwood,  through  which  herds  of  wild 
boars  roam  now  as  they  did  a thousand  years  ago.  Here 
his  relentless  brother’s  emissaries  found  him,  and  he 
was  again  obliged  to  seek  safety  in  flight.  This  time 
he  thought  of  the  home  of  his  youth,  and,  with  his  wife, 
the  ever-faithful  Benkei,  and  a handful  of  equally  faith- 
ful followers  who  had  fought  under  him  in  the  days  of 
his  triumph,  he  made  his  way  to  the  distant  province  of 
Mutsu,  far  away  in  the  North,  where  he  had  found 
sanctuary  even  from  the  far-reaching  arm  of  Kiyomori. 


YORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  125 


But  times  had  changed.  Kiyomori’s  authority  had 
never  reached  the  North.  Yoritomo’s  now  did  so.  The 
local  chief  who  had  defended  Yoshitsune  had  just  died, 
but  he  had  left  instructions  to  his  son  to  defend  him  once 
more  at  all  hazard.  The  son,  dreading  Yoritomo’s 
vengeance,  was  false  to  his  father  and  to  his  family’s 
honour.  With  an  overwhelming  force  he  attacked 
Yoshitsune’s  little  band  on  the  bank  of  the  River 
Komoro,  and  after  a fierce  fight,  in  which  the  old  and 
tried  soldiers  defended  their  beloved  leader  to  the  last, 
all  were  killed.  Yoshitsune,  when  he  saw  that  the  end 
had  come,  killed  his  wife  and  children  with  his  own 
hand,  and  then  died,  as  a noble  Samurai  should,  when 
everything  but  honour  is  lost,  upon  his  own  sword.  His 
head  was  found  and  sent  to  his  brother  in  a lacquered 
box  “moistened  with  strong  wine,”  and  it  came  to  his 
brother  just  as  he  was  celebrating  with  pompous  cere- 
mony the  completion  of  the  temple  of  Hachiman  which 
he  had  erected  in  his  capital  in  gratitude  for  all  his 
victories.  Benkei,  faithful  to  the  last,  when  his  master 
and  his  comrades  were  dead  around  him,  walked  into 
the  river,  and  there  was  shot  to  death  by  arrows  fired 
from  the  bank  by  soldiers,  not  one  of  whom  dared  to 
come  within  reach  of  his  mighty  arm. 

A sad  story  is  told  of  Yoshitsune’s  lovely  mistress, 
Shidzuka  Gozen,  that  yields  in  pathos  to  that  of  Tokiwa 
only  in  the  fact  that  she  had  no  children  and  suffered 
alone.  She  was  with  him  in  Yoshino,  but  when  he  was 
forced  to  flee  thence,  he  sent  her  back  to  Kioto  under 
the  escort  of  his  own  servant.  The  servant  robbed  and 
abandoned  her  on  the  way,  and,  alone  and  moneyless, 
she  wandered  helplessly  in  storms  of  snow  and  wind 
on  the  wild  Yoshino  mountains.  She  was  found  by 
some  priests,  who  sent  her  to  Kioto,  and  thence  she  was 
sent  on  to  Kamakura.  There  she  was  examined  as  to 
her  knowledge  of  Yoshitsune’s  whereabouts,  but,  though 


126 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


examination  meant  torture,  she  firmly  refused  to  tell  any- 
thing that  she  knew.  She  had  the  reputation  of  being 
a graceful  dancer,  and  she  was  called  upon  to  dance 
before  Masago,  Yoritomo’s  wife,  whose  curiosity  had 
been  aroused.  At  first  she  refused,  but  at  last  gave 
way,  and  the  platform  on  which  she  is  said  to  have 
danced  before  Yoritomo  and  Masago  still  exists  at 
Kamakura.  She  not  only  danced,  but  sang  so  pathetic- 
ally of  her  love  for  Yoshitsune  that  all  around  were 
melted  to  tears;  only  Yoritomo  himself  was  wroth,  and 
angry  at  her  praises  of  his  outlawed  brother  he  ordered 
that  she  should  be  put  to  death.  Masago,  though  hard, 
and  full  of  contempt  for  a dancer  and  the  concubine  of  an 
outlaw,  had  still  some  relic  of  womanly  gentleness  in 
her  heart.  She  interceded  for  her  fallen  sister,  and  sent 
her  away  with  rich  gifts.  Her  trials  were,  however, 
not  yet  over.  One  of  Yoritomo’s  officers,  tempted  by 
her  grace  and  beauty,  tried  to  make  her  his  own  mistress. 
She  indignantly  repelled  his  advances.  Then  her  child 
— Yoshitsune’s  child — was  born.  Yoritomo  ordered 
that  the  child  should  be  killed,  but  the  unhappy  mother 
was  allowed  to  go  and  bury  her  sorrows  and  her 
memories  in  obscurity. 

Yoritomo’s  triumph  was  now  complete.  He  had 
avenged  his  father’s  death  and  established  his  own 
supremacy  and  that  of  his  family  so  that  none  could 
dare  to  dispute  it.  The  death  of  the  Emperor  at  Dan 
no  Ura  left  the  throne  vacant,  and  another  very  youthful 
scion  of  the  Imperial  family  was  placed  on  it.  The 
new  Emperor,  Go  Toba  (1186-99),  was  *n  Yoritomo’s 
power,  and  henceforth  gave  legality  to  every  step  and 
every  action  which  he  thought  fit  to  take  in  the 
interests  of  himself,  his  own  family  or  the  Emperor. 
Throughout  the  war  he  had  remained  at  Kamakura. 
He  now  made  a triumphant  progress  and  entry  into 
Kioto,  where  honours  were  heaped  upon  him  by  the  new 


YORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  127 


Emperor,  and  where  he  was  received  into  the  closest 
confidence  by  the  cloistered  Emperor  (Go-Shirakawa). 
Among  the  honours  was  that  of  “ Sei-i-tai-Shogun  ” — 
Barbarian-repressing-great  general.  This  was  the  first 
occasion  of  the  bestowal  of  this  full  title.  Many  had 
held  the  title  of  Sei-i-Shogun,  which  was  very  commonly 
given,  throughout  many  generations,  to  generals  when 
proceeding  on  active  service,  but  Yoritomo  was  dis- 
criminated from  them  by  the  addition  of  the  adjective 
“great,”  and  that  addition  lent  to  the  title  a new  sig- 
nificance with  the  nation.  Holding  all  the  de  facto 
power  of  the  executive,  Yoritomo  had  now  a dignity 
which  brought  with  it  almost  sovereign  prestige,  and,  in 
the  progress  of  time,  the  true  sovereigns,  the  Emperors, 
came  more  and  more  to  be  only  a name  to  their  subjects, 
and  as  they  became  lost  to  vulgar  view  in  the  sacred 
seclusion  of  their  courts  at  Kioto,  the  ancient  capital  lost 
a large  part  of  its  importance,  while  the  new  capitals, 
first  of  Kamakura  and  later  on  of  Yedo,  where  the 
Shoguns  resided  and  had  their  government,  came  into 
existence  and  grew  in  wealth  and  magnificence,  industry 
and  population,  as  well  as  in  political  influence.  The 
Tai  Shoguns,  at  the  same  time,  gradually  acquired  the 
positions  of  de  facto  sovereigns.  To  Europeans,  in  the 
early  days  of  intercourse  between  the  West  and  Japan, 
the  Shoguns  appeared  to  be  the  true  sovereigns  of  the 
Empire,  de  jure  as  well  as  de  facto.  The  Europeans 
heard  vaguely  of  a sacred  being  who  lived  at  Kioto,  but 
he  seemed  to  be  almost  a myth,  or,  if  he  had  any  func- 
tions at  all,  they  were  only  those  of  a pope.  Kaempfer, 
the  first  and  still  one  of  the  greatest  writers  on  Japan, 
wrote  of  him  in  the  seventeenth  century  as  the  Ecclesi- 
astical Emperor,  while  he  called  the  Shogun  the  Secular 
Emperor.  The  Jesuit  Fathers,  in  their  writings  of  the 
sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries,  invariably  refer  to 
the  Shogun  as  “His  Majesty,”  while  in  the  last  century, 


128 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


when  Japan  was  forcibly  drawn  from  her  seclusion  into 
the  Comity  of  Nations,  all  the  treaties  of  the  great 
powers  of  the  West  were  made  with  “His  Majesty,  the 
Tycoon,”  the  Chinese  substitute  for  the  term  Shogun 
(Tai-kun)  being  anglicized  in  this  way,  and  in  none  was 
the  real  Emperor  referred  to  even  by  name.  The  estab- 
lishment of  this  office,  and  the  appointment  of  members 
of  his  own  family  by  Yoritomo,  though  in  the  Emperor’s 
name,  as  military  governors  of  the  provinces,  responsible 
to  the  Shogun  for  the  efficient  discharge  of  their  duties, 
to  act  with  and,  in  time,  to  displace  the  civil  governors, 
who  had  hitherto  administered  them,  and  had  been 
answerable  to  the  Court  at  Kioto,  laid  the  foundation  of 
the  dual  system  of  government — that  of  a de  facto 
sovereign  at  Kamakura  or  Yedo,  and  of  a de  jure 
sovereign  at  Kioto — which  lasted  until  the  year  1868. 

Yoritomo  had  fought  his  way  to  power  through  a sea 
of  blood,  and  the  long  wars  had  been  the  cause  of  untold 
misery  to  the  country.  But  once  his  power  was  estab- 
lished on  an  indisputable  basis,  he  set  himself  to  restore 
prosperity  with  an  energy  and  statesmanlike  intelligence 
that  in  no  way  fell  below  that  which  he  had  shown  in 
the  suppression  of  his  enemies.  He  established  taxation 
on  an  equitable  basis,  relieved  the  peasantry  of  their 
most  oppressive  burthens,  and  encouraged  industry  and 
commerce.  Lest  the  manly  spirit  and  physical  vigour 
of  his  soldiers  should  degenerate  in  peace  as  those  of 
the  Taira  had  done  during  the  days  of  Kiyomori’s  power, 
he  encouraged  hunting,  and,  an  ardent  sportsman  him- 
self, he  established  great  hunting  camps  on  the  wild 
slopes  of  Mount  Fuji,  over  which  his  army  had  marched 
at  the  outset  of  his  campaign  against  the  Taira,  and 
amidst  the  still  wilder  hills  of  Shinano,  and  these  camps 
were  the  scenes  of  acts  of  love,  murder  and  revenge 
which  to  this  day  are  among  the  most  popular  subjects 
of  drama  and  romance.  But  his  main  energies  were 


VORITOMO  AND  THE  GEM-PEI  WAR  129 


devoted  to  the  extension  and  enrichment  of  his  own 
capital  at  Kamakura,  the  home  of  his  ancestors,  which, 
under  his  fostering  care,  became  the  most  magnificent 
city  of  the  Empire,  rich  in  wealth,  industry  and  archi- 
tectural splendour. 

Yoritomo  lived  for  fourteen  years  after  he  had  reached 
the  apogee  of  his  power.  Early  in  the  year  1199  he 
attended  in  regal  state  at  the  ceremony  of  the  opening 
of  a new  bridge  over  a river  which  crosses  the  Tokaido, 
the  great  eastern  high  road  that  leads  from  Tokio  to 
Kioto,  and  flows  into  the  sea  between  Kamakura  and 
Odawara.  As  he  rode  across  the  bridge,  amidst  the 
cheers  of  the  people  who  crowded  both  banks  of  the 
river,  the  ghost  of  Yoshitsune,  the  murdered  brother 
whom  he  had  treated  so  basely,  suddenly  rose  out  of  the 
water  and  appeared  before  him.  He  fell  fainting  from 
his  horse,  and  was  carried  home  to  die  within  a month. 
The  horse  plunged  into  the  river,  whence  the  river  is 
still  called  Ba-niu — horse-enter. 

With  his  death,  the  Gem-Pei 1 period  of  Japanese 
history  may  be  said  to  have  ended.  It  was  one  whose 
duration  was  of  a brief  space  in  the  life  of  a nation  that 
claims  to  have  a history  of  2,700  years,  but  its  story 
has  now  been  told  at  some  length,  as  it  is  recognized 
by  the  Japanese  people  as  the  most  heroic  period 
throughout  their  history.  No  other  is  so  full  of  inci- 
dents of  chivalrous  courage,  of  heroic  struggles  against 
adversity,  of  both  persons  and  incidents  that  are  to  this 
day  the  delight  of  poets,  painters  and  romanticists;  no 
other  has  afforded  such  material  for  dramatists;  none 
has  produced  sadder  tales  of  youth  and  beauty  destroyed 
in  their  early  bloom,  of  more  bitter  falls  in  fortune,  of 
more  remorseless  cruelty  and  relentless  vengeance,  of 
more  glaring  treachery  and  ingratitude.  The  two  prin- 

1 Gem-Pei  is  the  Sinico-Japanese  reading  of  Minamoto  and  Taira. 

K 


130 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


cipal  actors  in  it,  Kiyomori  and  Yoritomo,  are  among 
the  greatest  statesmen  and  generals  that  Japan  has  ever 
produced  either  in  ancient  or  modern  times.  Yoshitsune, 
as  the  mirror  of  the  soul  of  Japan,  as  the  national  model 
of  a gallant  and  devoted  soldier,  as  a fearless  knight,  is 
second  in  the  national  annals  only  to  the  mythological 
hero,  Yamatodake.  His  henchman,  Benkei,  is  equally 
the  national  type  of  unquestioning  fidelity,  unreasoning 
courage  and  muscular  strength.  While  Yoshitsune  and 
Benkei  were  wandering  amidst  the  maples  of  Yoshino, 
Richard  Coeur  de  Lion  and  Robin  Hood  were  simulta- 
neously holding  revel  amidst  the  oaks  of  Sherwood,  and 
what  the  latter  are  in  English  history,  Yoshitsune  and 
Benkei  are  in  that  of  Japan.  The  names  and  memories 
of  both,  even  in  these  days  of  materialism,  still  stir  the 
hearts  and  quicken  the  pulses  of  the  youth  of  Japan  in 
a way  that  their  English  prototypes  no  longer  do  to  the 
youth  of  England.  Japanese  school-boys  in  their  games 
love  nothing  better  than  to  play  their  parts,  and  the 
faces  of  both  are  the  most  favourite  decoration  that  they 
can  have  on  their  kites.  Lastly,  it  was  the  period  that 
witnessed  the  final  establishment  of  the  political  system 
that  lasted  to  our  own  day,  and  ended  only  at  the 
accession  of  the  present  Emperor  to  the  throne. 


CHAPTER  VIII 


THE  HOJO  USURPERS 

Yoritomo  left  two  sons,  Yoriiye  and  Semman,  the 
first  eighteen  and  the  last  nine  years  of  age  at  the  time 
of  his  death.  The  story  of  his  marriage  has  already  been 
told.  His  wife,  Masago,  continued  throughout  his  life 
to  give  evidence  of  the  strong  and  ambitious  character 
which  the  circumstances  of  her  marriage  promised,  and 
to  exercise  an  influence  over  her  husband  which  has  been 
seldom  paralleled  among  Japanese  women  of  the  upper 
classes.  Her  influence  combined  with  her  extreme 
jealousy  to  prevent  her  husband  indulging  in  the 
pleasures  of  love — of  the  love  that  is  called  illicit  in  the 
West,  but  is  recognized  as  the  reasonable  privilege  of 
man,  from  whom  chastity  is  not  expected,  in  the  East — 
and  imposed  on  him  a degree  of  continency  that  is  rare 
among  the  great  characters  of  history  in  Japan,  from 
Yamatodake  down  to  the  heroes  of  very  modern  days. 
Yoritomo  is  only  one  of  the  great  names  in  history. 
That  of  his  wife  is  perhaps  the  greatest  female  name, 
second  only  to  that  of  the  mythological  Empress  Jingo, 
and  is  only  second  to  hers  as  it  is  not  that  of  an  Empress 
or  of  a princess  of  the  Imperial  line.  Her  father,  Hojo 
Tokimasa,  was  such  as  the  father  of  his  daughter  might 
be  expected  to  be : ambitious,  intelligent,  far-seeing, 
wholly  unscrupulous  in  the  means  which  he  adopted  to 
attain  his  ends;  implacable  and  pitiless  to  his  rivals  and 
enemies,  generous  to  his  own  partisans  and  devoted  to 
his  kindred.  Throughout  all  his  son-in-law’s  career, 
from  his  exile  in  Idzu  to  the  last  day  of  his  state 
procession  to  the  bridge  of  Baniu,  he  was  his  constant 

K 2 131 


132 


. THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


adviser,  his  prime  minister,  his  personal  representative 
in  absence,  and  the  credit  of  much  of  Yoritomo’s  success 
as  a statesman  was  justly  due  to  the  father  who  was 
always  by  his  side  to  counsel  or  encourage  him.  The 
father  was  the  head  of  an  ancient  clan,  and,  in  the  spirit 
and  pride  of  clanship  carried  to  the  extreme,  he  was 
ambitious  to  raise  the  clan  from  its  status  of  comparative 
insignificance  to  the  foremost  position  in  the  Empire  in 
wealth  and  in  influence.  Before  he  died,  he  had  assured 
for  it  a dominance  in  the  state  which  lasted  for  130 
years,  the  dominance  in  everything  but  name  which 
Kiyomori  and  Yoritomo  had  in  turn  schemed  and 
fought  to  obtain  for  their  descendants. 

Yoriiye  succeeded  his  father  in  all  his  honours.  It 
has  been  noticed  already,  and  other  instances  will  be 
quoted  hereafter,  of  the  marked  way  in  which  history 
has  repeated  itself  in  Japan.  It  did  so  in  the  cases  of 
Kiyomori  and  Yoritomo  in  giving  them  each  eldest  sons 
whose  characters  were  as  opposite  as  the  poles  to  those 
of  their  fathers.  Kiyomori’s  son,  Higemori,  was  as 
merciful,  gentle  and  restrained  as  his  father  was  cruel, 
merciless  and  lustful.  Yoritomo’s  son  was  as  idle, 
frivolous  and  dissipated  as  his  father  was  austere, 
earnest  and  frugal.  Such  a youth  gave  little  serious 
thought  to  duty,  and  on  Yoritomo’s  death,  Tokimasa 
easily  vested  in  himself  all  the  active  functions  of  Chief 
Minister  of  State,  and,  in  his  contempt  for  his  grandson, 
soon  ceased  to  make  even  a pretence  of  consulting  him. 
He  naturally  filled  all  the  great  public  offices  with  his 
own  relatives  and  partisans,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
secretly  encouraged  the  grandson  in  the  indulgence  of 
his  vices  in  the  companionship  of  worthless  favourites, 
so  that  he  came  to  be  regarded  by  the  nation  as  a mere 
voluptuary,  incompetent,  as  he  seemed  to  be  indifferent, 
to  exercise  the  functions  of  his  high  office.  But  there 
was  still  some  of  his  father’s  spirit  in  him,  notwith- 


THE  HOJO  USURPERS 


133 


standing  all  his  frivolity.  Indignant  at  the  disclosure 
of  a plan  which  Tokitnasa  had  formed  to  force  him  to 
abdicate  in  favour  of  his  (Yoriiye’s)  son,  a child,  he 
made  an  effort,  with  the  aid  and  counsel  of  his  own 
father-in-law — a Minamoto  noble — to  rid  himself  of  his 
tutor  and  minister.  While  they  were  discussing  their 
plans  in  Yoriiye’s  bedchamber,  where  he  was  at  the 
time  lying  ill,  his  mother,  Masago,  listened  from  out- 
side the  door,  and  filial  piety  compelled  her  to  sacrifice 
her  son  to  her  father,  whom  she  informed  at  once  of  all 
she  had  overheard.  His  measures  were  prompt,  sharp 
and  final.  Yoriiye’s  father-in-law  and  all  his  house- 
hold, men,  women  and  children,  whether  relatives  or 
retainers,  were  slain  after  a sharp  fight,  and  with  them 
Yoriiye’s  child,  who  was  intended  to  have  succeeded 
him,  also  perished.  Yoriiye  himself  was  forced  to  shave 
his  head  and  enter  a monastery,  but  even  that  step  did 
not  satisfy  Tokimasa’s  sense  of  his  own  security,  and 
in  the  following  year  he  caused  his  ill-fated  grandson 
to  be  strangled  in  his  bath.  This  was  in  the  fourth  year 
after  Yoritomo’s  death. 

Yoritomo’s  second' son,  Semman,  who  was  now  twelve 
years  old,  succeeded  to  his  brother’s  honours.  As  the 
elder  brother  had  neglected  duty  for  the  sake  of  pleasure, 
so  did  the  second  for  that  of  literature  and  poetry.  He 
was  studious,  religious  and  benevolent,  but  was  content 
to  look  idly  on  while  the  Hojo  exercised  a complete  con- 
trol over  all  the  affairs  of  the  state.  Many  of  the  senior 
officers  who  had  served  or  fought  for  Yoritomo  had  now 
grown  old  and  infirm  or  had  died.  Those  who  remained, 
who  had  the  personal  vigour  or  the  power  that  might 
have  made  them  formidable  opponents  to  the  Hojo,  were 
removed  from  office  and  sent  to  distant  posts;  those 
who  attempted  to  resist  were  crushed  as  rebels,  so  that 
the  young  Shogun  was  soon  left  without  a single  adher- 
ent on  whose  independent  advice  and  support  he  might 


134 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


rely  in  case  of  difference  with  the  Hojo.  But  his 
life  was  destined  to  last  but  little  longer  than  that  of  his 
brother  whom  he  had  succeeded. 

A younger  son  of  Yoriiye  survived  his  father.  His 
name  was  Kugio,  and  he  was  four  years  of  age  at  his 
father’s  death.  He  was  consigned  to  a Buddhist 
monastery,  so  that,  enrolled  in  a priesthood  whose 
members  are  vowed  to  celibacy,  he  could  neither  him- 
self, when  arrived  at  manhood,  be  any  obstacle  to  the 
Hojo’s  ambition,  nor  leave  behind  him  posterity  who 
might  become  so  in  later  years.  One  of  the  great 
temples  at  Kamakura,  which  survived  the  destruction 
of  the  city  in  the  fourteenth  century  and  exists  to  this 
day,  is  that  of  Hachiman,  the  God  of  War,  the  patron 
God  of  the  Minamoto  family,  which  was  erected  by 
Yoritomo  when  at  the  height  of  his  power.  Kugio  was 
appointed  a high  priest  in  this  temple  when  he  was 
only  nineteen  years  of  age.  The  temple  still  exists,  and 
though  the  present  building  is  not  the  same  as  that 
over  which  Kugio  presided,  it  conserves  all  the  features 
of  the  original.  The  entrance,  through  an  avenue  of 
pines,  interspersed  with  high  willows  and  icho,  which 
are  said  to  have  been  planted  in  the  time  of  Semman, 
leads  past  two  (large  ponds  which,  in  summer,  are 
covered  with  the  white  flowers  of  the  lotus,  and  through 
three  great  toriye  to  the  main  building.  The  whole 
avenue  is  a scene  of  solemn  impressiveness  as  well  as 
of  great  natural  beauty,  and  it  remains  to  this  day  as  it 
was  when  trodden  by  the  feet  of  the  famous  Shogun  and 
his  retainers. 

Kugio  had  learned  of  the  circumstances  of  his  father’s 
death,  and,  blaming  his  uncle  as  the  instigator  of  the 
crime,  he  constantly  cherished  in  his  heart  the  prospect 
of  revenge.  Early  in  the  year  1219  Semman  received 
from  the  Emperor  the  appointment  of  Udaijin,  third 
minister  of  state  in  the  Empire,  and  his  religious  dis- 


THE  HO  JO  USURPERS 


135 


position  prompted  him  to  return  thanks  for  the  honour 
at  the  shrine  of  Hachiman.  In  the  ordinary  course  he 
would  have  done  so  in  daylight,  but  on  this  occasion 
it  was  ascertained  by  divination  that  a night  service 
would  be  more  propitious.  Attended  by  a large  escort 
and  by  all  the  high  officers  of  state,  he  went  to  the 
temple  in  solemn  procession,  but  he  left  the  main  part 
of  his  retinue  at  the  gate,  and  entered  the  shrine  attended 
by  only  one  member  of  his  personal  suite.  He  wore 
neither  sword  nor  armour  himself,  though  he  had  been 
urged  to  use  both.  As  he  left  the  shrine,  having  finished 
his  devotions,  a man  rushed  on  him  and,  with  one 
sweeping  blow,  cut  off  his  head.  Raising  his  voice,  the 
assassin  cried  out  loudly,  “ I am  Kugio,  and  have 
avenged  my  father’s  murder.”  Then  he  escaped  in  the 
darkness  and  confusion,  carrying  the  head  with  him. 
Troops  were  sent  in  his  pursuit,  and  when  they  over- 
took him  he  defended  himself  to  the  last ; but  numbers 
prevailed  and  he  was  killed,  and  with  him  ended  the 
last  of  the  direct  line  of  Yoritomo.  The  family  which 
its  greatest  member  had  fondly  hoped  would  be  estab- 
lished in  power  for  ever  only  survived  him  for  twenty 
years.  Semman’s  head  was  never  found.  Before  start- 
ing on  his  last  procession,  he  had  laughingly  given  a 
hair  of  his  head  to  the  servant  who  was  dressing  him, 
saying,  “ Keep  this  in  memory  of  me.”  As  his  head 
could  not  be  found,  this  hair  was,  in  lieu  of  it,  buried 
with  the  body. 

The  Hojo  Period  of  history  now  began,  a period 
which  was  remarkable,  among  other  things,  for  having 
witnessed  the  vicious  system  which  had  eaten  into  the 
national  polity  carried  to  its  extreme  limit.  The  Fuji- 
wara,  as  has  been  already  told,  were  the  first  to  deprive 
the  Emperors  of  their  de  facto  authority.  They  were 
followed  by  Kiyomori  and  Yoritomo,  Yoritomo  being 
the  first  to  assume,  on  the  Emperor’s  grant,  the  great 


136 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


title  of  Sei-i-tai-Shogun.  Yoritomo’s  two  sons,  who 
in  turn  succeeded  him  in  this  office,  both  nominally 
held  the  entire  executive,  but  all  the  real  power  was 
vested  throughout  the  lifetime  of  both,  at  first  in  their 
masterful  grandfather,  Hojo  Tokimasa,  and,  when  he 
died  in  1216,  in  their  equally  masterful  mother,  Toki- 
masa’s  daughter,  Masago.  The  last  of  the  two  sons 
was  assassinated  and  the  assassin  killed  in  1219,  and 
Yoritomo’s  direct  line  came  to  an  end.  The  way  was 
therefore  open  for  the  daughter  not  only  to  conserve 
the  power  in  her  own  hands,  but  to  ensure  its  trans- 
mission to  her  own  descendants,  and  render  the  head 
of  the  clan  from  which  she  sprang  the  supreme  master 
of  the  Empire.  Neither  Tokimasa  nor  any  of  his 
descendants  ever  assumed  the  title  of  Sei-i-tai-Shogun. 
They  were  always  content  to  leave  that  office  to  another 
as  a purely  nominal  dignity,  while  they  exercised  the 
real  authority  themselves  under  the  title  of  Shikken  or 
regent,  and  the  result  was  that  they  ruled  the  Empire 
in  the  name  of  the  Shogun,  who  in  turn  could  legally 
act  only  in  the  name  of  the  Emperor.  This  continued 
while  the  chiefs  of  the  Hojo  preserved  the  ability  and 
vigour  of  the  founder  of  their  line.  But,  as  time  went 
on,  the  creeping  paralysis  which  reduced  the  Emperors 
to  faineants,  which  rendered  the  Shogun  impotent,  got 
hold  also  of  the  Hojo,  and  while  the  last  members  of 
their  dynasty  continued  to  be  nominally  Shikken,  they 
allowed  all  the  power  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  their 
Kanrio,  a minister  taken  from  among  their  own  sub- 
ordinate retainers  who  acted  in  the  name  of  his  feudal 
lord.  There  were  thus  simultaneously  four  degrees  in 
the  chief  authority  of  the  Empire,  Kanrio,  Shikken, 
Shogun  and  Tenno,  minister,  regent,  vicegerent  and 
Emperor.  The  Kanrio  was  the  de  facto  head  of  the  state, 
exercising  his  functions  and  holding  his  office  in  the 
name  of,  and  as  representative  of,  the  Shikken,  the 


THE  HO  JO  USURPERS 


137 


Shikken  in  that  of  the  Shogun  and  the  Shogun  in  that 
of  the  Emperor,  the  last  three  being  mere  cyphers,  as 
far  as  any  active  or  influential  participation  in  the 
affairs  of  the  state  was  concerned.  They  had  all  the  out- 
ward pomp  and  dignity  of  their  great  offices,  but  were 
mere  puppets  in  the  hands  of  the  wire-pullers  beneath 
them.  There  were,  however,  some  rare  exceptions  to 
the  general  rule.  The  Emperors  were  not  invariably 
mere  voluptuaries  content  to  pass  their  lives  in  idle 
enjoyment  of  court  luxury,  finding  their  pleasure  or 
occupation,  according  to  their  individual  taste,  in  poetry, 
literature,  art  or  sensualism,  and  occasionally  one  appears 
on  the  scene  of  both  mental  and  bodily  vigour,  who, 
fretting  in  the  meshes  in  which  he  is  involved  by  the 
usurpers  of  the  authority  that  rightfully  belongs  to  him 
alone,  makes  an  attempt  to  assert  the  dignity  and  pre- 
rogatives of  the  throne  and  to  take  into  his  own  hands 
the  active  control  of  the  Empire  that  was  held  and 
exercised  by  his  remote  ancestors.  There  was  such 
an  instance  in  the  beginning  of  the  Hojo  Period,  and 
another  at  its  close.  In  both  the  end  was  the  same  as 
far  as  it  related  to  the  throne.  The  first  ensured  the 
dominance  of  the  Hojo,  the  second  their  downfall,  but 
in  each  case  the  Emperor’s  grasp  of  power  was  moment- 
ary and  he  paid  for  it  by  his  deposition  and  banishment. 

In  1219  the  Emperor  Juntoku  (1211-1222)  was  on  the 
throne,  but  his  two  immediate  predecessors,  his  father,  Go 
Toba  (1186-1199),  who  succeeded  the  boy  who  perished 
at  Dan  no  Ura,  and  his  elder  brother,  Tsuchi  Mikado 
( 1 1 99—  1 2 1 1 ) , both  of  whom  had  abdicated,  were  still 
alive,  living  in  nominal  retirement.  Go  Toba  was  a 
man  of  character  and  strength  who  was  eager  to  see 
the  restoration  of  the  Imperial  prerogative  even  though 
not  in  his  own  person.  The  weakness  and  idleness  of 
Yoritomo’s  sons  seemed  to  furnish  the  opportunity,  and 
preparations  were  made  at  Kioto  to  enforce  the 


138 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Emperor’s  claims  by  arms.  Go  Toba,  in  order  to 
render  his  own  authority  more  effective,  forced  his  son, 
Juntoku,‘to  abdicate  in  favour  of  the  latter’s  son,  Chukiyo, 
a boy,  so  that  there  were  actually  four  Emperors  living 
at  one  time,  the  oldest  of  whom  was  for  the  moment 
the  controlling  spirit  of  the  court,  while  the  actual 
occupant  of  the  throne  was  a child  of  five  years  of 
age.  The  head  of  the  Hojo  clan  was  now  Yasutoki, 
the  grandson  of  Tokimasa,  but  the  mastering  spirit  was 
still  his  aunt  Masago.  On  the  death  of  her  husband, 
she  shaved  her  head  and  retired  into  a nunnery,  but 
her  abandonment  of  the  world  and  its  affairs  was  only 
a shadowy  fiction,  so  well  recognized  that  she  was 
always  spoken  of  throughout  the  country  as  the  “Ama 
Shogun  ” — the  nun-vicegerent.  She  now  boldly  came 
to  the  front,  so  that  the  two  guiding  spirits  of  the  rival 
parties  were  the  ex-Emperor,  Go  Toba,  nominally  a 
monk  and  the  ex-Shogun’s  widow,  nominally  a nun, 
both  of  whom  emerged  from  their  religious  seclusion 
to  direct  a great  constitutional  movement. 

Masago  called  before  her  all  the  principal  generals 
and  councillors  at  Kamakura,  and  there,  modestly 
obscured,  as  a woman  should  be,  from  common  eyes  by 
a screen  which  hung  half  way  down  before  her,  she 
addressed  them,  saying — 

“ I am  going  to-day  to  take  leave  of  all  you  gentlemen. 
The  late  Shogun  wearing  hardness  (armour)  and  wielding 
sharpness  (the  sword)  pierced  the  way  through  the  weeds 
and  established  a great  position,  as  all  of  you  gentlemen 
know.  Now  slanderers  and  evil  speakers  have  deceived  and 
misled  the  Lord  of  the  people,  and  desire  to  overturn  the 
Kuanto  position.  I suppose  that  none  of  you  gentlemen 
forget  the  benefits  you  received  from  the  late  Shogun. 
Therefore  unite  your  strength  and  hearts.  Destroy  and 
remove  the  slanderers,  and  thus  preserve  the  old  plan 
complete.  Then  those  who  desire,  in  obedience  to  the 
Imperial  command,  to  go  up  West,  let  them  at  once  decide.” 


THE  HOJO  USURPERS 


139 


Modern  Japanese  writers  love  to  find  in  this  incident 
a parallel  to  Maria  Theresa’s  appeal  to  the  Hungarian 
diet.  Masago’s  words,  spoken  with  equal  solemnity, 
had  the  same  effect  on  her  followers  as  those  of  Maria 
Theresa  had  on  the  Hungarians.  No  one  thought  of 
forsaking  her,  all  vowed  to  follow  and  fight  for  her 
to  the  last.  The  fight  was  sharp,  but  ended,  as  all 
struggles  between  the  brave  but  pleasure-loving  courtiers 
of  the  West  and  the  fierce  warriors  of  the  East  had 
ended  before,  in  the  complete  overthrow  of  the  court 
party  and  the  triumph  of  the  regent  at  Kamakura.  The 
unfortunate  Emperors  were  ruthlessly  dealt  with. 
Chukiyo  was  deposed  after  a reign  of  only  three  months, 
and  Go  Horikawa  (1221-1232),  a boy  barely  ten  years 
of  age,  crowned  in  his  stead.  The  old  Emperor,  Go 
Toba,  was  banished  to  the  island  of  Oki ; his  sons, 
Tsuchi  Mikado,  though  he  had  neither  sympathized 
with,  nor  taken  part  in,  his  father’s  coup,  to  Awa,  and 
Juntoku  to  the  Island  of  Sado,  where  they  wrere  all  aban- 
doned to  poverty  and  desolation  in  remote  and  semi- 
savage districts.  The  fiefs  of  the  nobles,  more  than 
three  thousand  in  number,  who  had  espoused  their 
cause,  were  confiscated  and  bestowed  on  the  clansmen 
and  followers  of  the  Hojo.  Unlike  previous  and  later 
military  conquerors,  Yasutoki  had  no  desire  for  personal 
riches.  He  gave  all  the  spoils  of  war,  power  only 
excepted,  to  his  followers,  and  kept  nothing  for  himself. 
The  nomination  of  a young  prince  of  the  Fujiwara  to  the 
Shogunate  was  easily  procured  from  the  new  Emperor, 
and,  in  his  name,  Yasutoki  continued  to  exercise  the 
supreme  power  at  Kamakura,  while  a watch  and  check 
over  the  Emperor  were  maintained  by  a cadet  of  the 
family,  who  resided  at  Kioto.  Both  Emperor  and  Shogun 
were,  throughout  the  whole  of  the  Hojo  period,  mere 
puppets,  to  be  directed,  deposed  and  appointed  entirely 
at  the  will  and  caprice  of  their  masters  at  Kamakura. 


140 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Masago  died  in  the  year  1225,  but  she  had  lived  to 
see  the  political  ascendency  of  the  family  in  which  she 
was  born  established  on  a firm  basis.  It  lasted  for  a 
hundred  and  nine  years  after  her  death,  and  was  succes- 
sively transmitted  through  seven  generations  and,  in  the 
beginning,  was  productive  of  untold  benefit  to  the 
nation,  which,  under  firm  rule,  enjoyed  the  blessings  of 
peace  after  a century  of  devastating  civil  wars.  Three 
of  the  Hojo  rulers  after  Masago’s  death  have  especially 
left  their  mark  on  the  pages  of  history. 

Yasutoki,  on  whom  fell  the  burthen  of  organizing 
their  government,  was  distinguished  both  as  a lawgiver 
and  an  administrator,  still  more  for  his  unflagging  in- 
dustry, his  conscientious  devotion  to  duty,  his  economy 
in  the  state  and  his  self-denial.  He  had  seven  younger 
brothers,  sons  of  different  mothers,  among  whom  he 
divided  all  his  father’s  lands,  saying,  “I  have  power, 
let  my  brothers  have  wealth.”  He  promulgated  a code 
of  regulations  for  hearing  and  deciding  civil  cases;  and 
as  to  criminal  cases,  he  abolished  the  practice  of  extend- 
ing the  punishment  of  the  offender  to  his  relatives  and 
servants  when  the  crime  was  not  of  a grave  nature.  His 
diligence  and  economy  became  an  example  to  all  his 
officers.  When  famine  came,  he  opened  his  granaries 
freely  to  the  people,  and  by  his  encouragement  of 
literature  and  art  he  did  something  to  revive  them  from 
the  consequences  of  the  neglect  they  had  suffered  during 
the  civil  wars.  When  he  died,  the  whole  nation  mourned 
him. 

Tokiyori,  the  fifth  in  the  line,  imitated  all  the  virtues 
of  his  grandfather,  and  even  surpassed  him  in  economy 
and  industry  and  in  his  self-denial.  In  selecting  his 
officials,  he  paid  no  attention  to  birth  or  lineage,  but 
sought  for  merit  wherever  it  could  be  found.  One  of  his 
officials,  Aoto  Fujitsuna,  whom  he  raised  from  low  rank, 
earned  a reputation  which  causes  him  to  be  regarded  to 


THE  HOJO  USURPERS 


141 


this  day  as  a model  of  a just  and  incorrupt  judge.  The 
sixth  regent  was  Tokimune,  son  of  Tokiyori,  under 
whom  the  attempted  invasion  of  Kublai  Khan,  the  story 
of  which  will  be  told  later  on,  was  triumphantly  repulsed. 

In  1315,  Takatoki,  the  last  of  the  Hojo,  succeeded  to 
the  regency.  His  predecessors  had  all  been  active  in  the 
discharge  of  their  duties,  and  while  not  earning  the 
gratitude  of  the  country  to  the  same  extent  as  the  three 
who  have  been  mentioned,  they  endeavoured  to  follow 
in  their  steps,  and  ruled  with  firmness  and  justice  that 
commanded  the  respect  of  the  nation.  Takatoki  was  of 
a different  nature.  He  was  dull  in  intellect,  dissipated, 
too  indolent  to  attend  to  his  duties  himself,  or  even  to 
take  the  trouble  of  selecting  honest  and  capable  officials. 
He  left  the  exercise  of  power  entirely  to  his  minister 
(Ivanrio),  who  abused  his  authority  and  wras  influenced 
both  in  appointments  and  judgments  solely  by  the 
bribes  which  he  received.  Meanwhile  the  unworthy 
regent  spent  his  time  in  the  society  of  dancing  and 
singing  girls,  with  musicians  of  whom  he  kept  many 
thousands  constantly  in  his  pay,  in  drinking  and  feast- 
ing, indifferent  to  all  that  was  occurring  around  the  walls 
of  his  own  palace.  He  found  a strange  amusement  in 
watching  dog-fights.  Everywhere  he  sought  out  the 
fiercest  dogs,  of  which,  like  the  musicians,  he  kept  many 
thousands,  and  his  pleasures  were  divided  between  the 
dogs  by  day  and  the  musicians  by  night. 

During  all  the  years  that  had  now  elapsed  since  the 
assumption  of  power  by  the  Hojo,  both  Emperors  and 
Shogun  had  been  raised  to  the  throne  or  office  and 
deposed  at  the  arbitrary  will  of  the  regents.  Boys  were 
nominated  either  as  Emperors  or  Shoguns,  chosen 
always,  it  is  to  be  remembered,  from  the  legitimate  line, 
and  the  moment  they  displayed  any  impatience  in  their 
fetters  or,  in  some  cases,  they  arrived  at  an  age  when 
they  might  be  expected  to  do  so,  they  were  forthwith 


142 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


called  upon  to  abdicate  in  favour  of  another  boy.  The 
list  of  the  Emperors  during  this  period  contains  the 
names  of  eleven  Emperors  whose  average  age  at  the 
time  of  their  accession  did  not  exceed  fourteen,  and  the 
average  length  of  whose  reigns  was  little  over  eight 
years.  The  case  of  the  Shoguns  was  even  worse.  Here, 
not  boys,  but  almost  infant  children  were  chosen,  and 
though  in  the  first  two  cases  they  were  sons  of  the 
noble  Fujiwara  family,  and  in  the  remainder  princes  of 
the  Imperial  line,  they  were  looked  upon  with  such 
contemptuous  indifference  to  their  claims  of  rank  and 
birth  by  the  Hojo  that,  in  one  instance,  where  one  of 
their  number  ventured,  on  arriving  at  manhood,  to  assert 
himself  and  his  office,  he  was  promptly  not  only  deposed, 
but  ignominiously  sent  back  to  his  Imperial  relatives  at 
Kioto,  heels  upwards,  in  a norimono  (palanquin). 

In  1318,  Go  Daigo,  an  Emperor  of  a different  type, 
came  to  the  throne.  He  was  already  thirty-one  years 
of  age,  mentally  and  physically  vigorous,  and  though 
not  free  from  vice  or  the  influence  of  unworthy  favour- 
ites, possessed  many  of  the  best  qualities  of  a capable 
ruler.  He  was  a student  of  history,  and  his  studies 
taught  him  the  prerogatives  of  his  ancestors,  which  he 
saw,  to  his  indignation,  were  usurped  by  the  Hojo, 
who,  though  they  were  no  more  than  the  vassals  of  the 
Shogun,  who,  in  turn,  was  the  Emperor’s  vassal, 
assumed  the  right  of  disposing  of  the  throne  at  their 
own  will.  Takatoki  was  now  at  the  height  of  his  mis- 
government.  Murmurs  against  his  rapacity  and  tyranny 
were  rife  throughout  all  the  country  not  immediately 
under  the  influence  or  profiting  by  the  wealth  and  luxury 
of  Kamakura,  and  the  time  seemed  ripe  for  an  effort  to 
assert  once  more  the  authority  of  the  Emperor.  But, 
however  unpopular  the  Hojo  had  made  themselves,  how- 
ever weak  and  pleasure-loving  their  chief  leaders,  they 
were  still  strong  enough  to  suppress  any  armed  revolt 


THE  HO  JO  USURPERS 


143 


that  could  be  raised  by  the  feeble  court  at  Kioto,  and, 
though  the  court  army  was  commanded  by  a brave  and 
efficient  soldier,  Kusunoki  Masahige,  it  was  easily  de« 
feated.  It  was  again  the  old  story.  The  soldiers  of  the 
East,  now  no  longer  trained  by  hardship  and  constant 
service  as  had  been  those  of  Yoritomo  and  Masago,  but 
still  retaining  their  old  military  spirit  and  skill,  fell 
irresistibly  upon  the  outnumbered  and  weak  soldiers  of 
the  West  and  crushed  them.  The  Emperor,  who  was 
responsible  for  the  emeute,  was  deposed  and  exiled  to 
the  island  of  Oki,  as  was  his  predecessor,  Go  Toba,  a 
hundred  years  previously  when  he  attempted  to  oppose 
the  rise  of  the  Hojo  to  power.  But,  on  this  occasion, 
the  exile  was  not  till  death.  The  Emperor  escaped  from 
his  prison.  Masahige,  though  beaten,  was  not  dis- 
couraged. He  collected  another  army  and  again  took 
the  field,  and  this  time  he  was  joined  by  troops  both 
from  the  South  and  East,  and  had  the  co-operation 
of  two  other  soldiers  who  have  left  great  names  in 
history,  though  in  different  aspects,  Ashikaga  Takauji 
and  Nitta  Yoshisada,  both  scions  of  the  Minamoto,  both 
descended  from  grandsons  of  Yoshiiye,  the  founder  of 
the  Minamoto  fortunes.  Their  ancestors  were  endowed 
by  Yoshiiye  with  important  fiefs,  the  first  in  the  province 
of  Shimotsuke,  the  second  in  that  of  Kodzuke,  both  far 
away  to  the  north  of  Kamakura,  both  the  homes  of 
even  more  virile  races  of  men  than  those  reared  in  the 
provinces  nearer  to  Kamakura.  Takauji  was  sent  from 
Kamakura  tc  command  an  army  to  reinforce  the  Hojo 
forces  that  were  fighting  around  Kioto,  but  he  deserted 
with  all  his  men  and  threw  in  his  lot  with  Masahige, 
and  the  two  then  attacked  Kioto,  which  was  held  by 
the  Hojo.  The  defending  army  was  composed  of  30,000 
men,  half  of  whom  were  untrained  to  arms,  and  this  force 
was  soon  so  much  reduced  by  desertion  and  loss  in 
action  that  little  more  than  a thousand  fighting  men 


144 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


were  left  to  them.  The  general  evacuated  the  citadel 
and  attempted,  with  his  remaining  force,  to  retreat  to 
the  North,  but  every  hand  was  against  them.  They 
were  not  only  pursued  by  the  victors,  but  harried  on 
all  sides  by  the  peasantry,  so  that,  before  they  had  gone 
far  in  the  province  of  Omi,  they  were  forced  to  take 
refuge  in  a Buddhist  temple.  Here  their  general,  Naka- 
toki,  who  had  commanded  them  at  Kioto,  saw  that  no 
more  could  be  done.  So  he  called  together  the  surviving 
officers,  thanked  them  for  their  services,  and  then  killed 
himself,  and  more  than  four  hundred  officers  and  men 
“accompanied  him  in  death.” 

Nitta  Yoshisada,  unlike  Takauji,  had  no  stain  of 
treachery  on  his  name.  The  Hojo  sent  to  his  fief  to 
demand  both  men  and  money,  but  he  put  the  messengers 
to  death,  and,  instead  of  coming  to  the  assistance  of  the 
Hojo  in  their  hour  of  need,  he  gathered  an  army  and 
led  it  southwards  to  attack  their  capital,  Kamakura. 
Dark  clouds  were  now  gathering  over  the  heads  of  the 
Hojo.  They  heard  simultaneously  of  the  destruction 
of  their  army  at  Kioto  and  of  the  army  of  Yoshisada 
that  was  advancing  against  them  at  Kamakura.  But, 
however  hated  they  had  made  themselves  throughout 
the  rest  of  the  Empire  by  the  greed  and  tyranny  of  those 
who  now  ruled  in  their  name,  and  by  their  sacrilegious 
cruelty  to  the  Emperors,  they  had  still  abundance  of 
brave  soldiers  and  competent  generals  who  were  devoted 
to  their  cause,  and  vigorous  preparations  were  made  to 
defend  Kamakura  to  the  last.  Its  land  approaches  were 
so  strongly  fortified  as  to  render  it  impregnable,  but  it 
lies  on,  and  was  then  open  to,  the  sea.  Yoshisada, 
finding  it  was  impossible  to  make  any  impression  on  it 
from  the  land,  led  his  army  along  the  seashore.  There 
he  found  his  way  blocked  by  a chevaux  de  frise  which 
extended  down  to  the  water’s  edge,  while  off  the  shore  lay 
a large  fleet  of  boats  manned  with  archers  ready  to  pour  a 


THE  HOJO  USURPERS 


145 


flank  fire  on  his  men.  He  ascended  alone  to  the  summit 
of  the  lofty  bluff,  from  the  foot  of  which  the  chevaux 
de  frise  extended,  and  there  prayed  fervently  to  the  Sea 
God  for  help.  Then  he  flung  into  the  sea  his  sword, 
the  last  and  greatest  treasure  of  a Samurai,  as  a votive 
offering.  Next  morning  he  found  that  the  sea  had 
miraculously  retreated  from  the  beach  with  such  rapidity 
as  to  sweep  the  fleet  of  boats  far  into  the  offing,  and  a 
passage  was  left  dry  on  the  sand  which,  but  a little  before, 
had  been  covered  with  deep  water.  The  attack  was 
made  and  the  city  taken,  though  not  without  a bloody 
battle  that  lasted  through  the  whole  day,  the  Hojo 
defending  themselves  to  the  last  and  the  victors  being 
forced  to  fight  from  street  to  street.  The  city,  with  its 
great  triumphs  of  architecture,  was  almost  entirely 
destroyed,  and  little  but  smouldering  ashes  remained  of 
all  the  beauty  and  magnificence  of  Yoritomo’s  proud 
capital  which,  since  his  death,  had  grown  into  the  first 
city  in  the  Empire,  and  under  the  beneficent  adminis- 
tration of  the  early  Hojo,  had  become  the  home  of  all 
that  was  best  in  art  and  literature,  in  the  refinement  and 
luxury  of  life,  as  well  as  of  trade  and  industry  of  a 
degree  of  prosperity  that  had  never  hitherto  been  known 
in  the  Empire. 

No  more  mercy  was  shown  by  the  conquerors  to  the 
Hojo  than  by  the  Minamoto  to  the  beaten  Taira  a hun- 
dred and  fifty  years  before.  Men,  women  and  children 
were  pitilessly  slaughtered  wherever  they  could  be 
found,  and  the  burning  city  was  a holocaust  with  more 
than  a hundred  thousand  charred  corpses.  The  last 
chapter  of  this  story  is  redolent  of  gruesome  horror,  but 
a vivid  reflection  of  the  Samurai  spirit  that  scorns  sur- 
render to  a conquering  foe  and  cherishes  a fealty  to  the 
feudal  lord  that  is  only  ended  by  death. 

Takatoki,  idle  voluptuary  though  he  was,  in  no  way 
failed  in  the  martial  spirit  of  his  ancestors,  and  however 

L 


146 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


worthless  he  had  been  as  a governor  or  a general,  he 
showed  in  the  final  struggle  that  he  was  a brave  soldier 
and  a worthy  Samurai.  His  palace  was  defended  to  the 
last.  Then,  driven  out  of  it,  fighting  as  he  retreated, 
he  took  refuge  in  a temple  which  was  the  family  bury- 
ing-ground  of  the  Hojo.  A thousand  of  his  officers 
and  men  followed  him,  and  the  whole  body  gathered  as 
the  evening  shades  were  falling  in  the  great  hall  of  the 
temple.  One  officer,  Takashigi,  resolved  to  try  fortune 
once  more.  With  a hundred  volunteers,  all  of  whom 
had  discarded  their  banners  and  crested  armour,  he 
sallied  forth,  and  in  the  darkness  mingled  with  the 
victors  to  seek  and  slay  their  commander,  Yoshisada. 
Just  as  they  were  at  the  point  of  reaching  him,  they  were 
recognized  and  surrounded  by  more  than  a thousand  of 
his  staff  and  escort.  They  fought  with  desperation. 
Takashigi  was  disarmed,  but  he  seized  one  of  the  enemy’s 
generals  and  flung  him  from  his  horse,  and  then  burst 
through  the  line  of  horsemen  around  him  and  rode  back 
to  the  temple.  All  the  rest  fell.  When  he  reached  the 
temple,  Takatoki  was  just  pledging  his  followers  in  a 
farewell  cup.  Takashigi  took  the  cup,  drained  it  twice, 
then  committed  hara-kiri,  and  pulled  out  his  bowels  with 
his  own  hand.  “This  is  a nice  dish,”  said  another 
officer,  laughing,  and  followed  his  example. 

There  was  one  officer  among  them  whose  niece  was 
Yoshisada’s  wife.  She  sent  a message  to  him  asking 
him  to  surrender  and  promising  that  his  life  should 
be  spared.  “My  niece,”  he  said,  “is  the  daughter  of 
a Samurai.  How  could  she  speak  in  such  a shameless 
manner?  How  is  it  that  Yoshisada  did  not  stop  her?” 
Then  he  folded  her  letter  on  his  sword  and  plunged 
both  into  his  stomach  and  died  with  the  others.  Then 
Takatoki  and  his  followers  all  killed  themselves,  and 
the  line  of  the  Hojo  was  ended.  They  had  already  been 
exterminated  in  the  West  by  Takauji  and  Masahige,  and 


THE  HO  JO  USURPERS 


147 


whatever  fugitives  of  the  clan  could  be  found  through- 
out the  country  were  killed  without  pity  or  mercy. 

One  chapter  in  their  story  has  not  yet  been  told — that 
of  the  attempted  invasion  of  Japan  by  the  great  Mongol 
Emperor,  Kublai  Khan,  who,  having  conquered  the 
whole  of  China,  was  now  ambitious  to  bring  the  Island 
Empire  under  his  sway,  to  make  it  the  acknowledged 
tributary  of  China.  He  had,  it  must  be  admitted,  other 
reasons  for  bringing  his  military  strength  to  bear  on 
Japan  than  those  of  mere  personal  ambition.  The  Japan- 
ese were  brave  and  adventurous  sailors,  and  those  of  the 
western  coasts,  far  away  at  all  times  in  those  days  from 
the  restraining  hands  of  their  own  government,  and  in 
the  turmoil  of  civil  wars,  able  to  indulge  in  licence  at 
their  own  will,  found  that  piracy  was  their  most  profit- 
able trade.  Kiyomori,  in  his  youth,  had  suppressed  it 
in  the  Inland  Sea,  but  it  continued  to  live  and  flourish 
in  the  Japan  and  China  seas,  and  the  whole  coast  of 
China  was  so  constantly  harried  by  the  incursions  of 
Japanese  pirates  that  the  inhabitants  lived  in  almost 
daily  dread  of  their  appearance.  Kublai  Khan’s  first 
demands,  made  in  a letter  sent  through  Korea,  were  that 
this  piracy  should  be  discontinued,  but  as  no  notice  was 
taken  of  his  letter,  he  followed  it  up  by  sending  an 
embassy  whose  instructions  were  to  demand  the  payment 
of  tribute  by  Japan.  Tokimune,  the  seventh  of  the  Hojo, 
had  all  the  vigour  and  determination  as  well  as  the 
ability  of  his  predecessors.  He  was  a bold  soldier,  a 
bold  huntsman,  overflowing  with  physical  courage,  and  at 
the  same  time  a scholar  and  a strict  and  impartial  admin- 
istrator of  justice,  full  of  patriotic  pride  in  the  country  he 
ruled.  Such  a man  was  the  very  last  to  submit  to  the 
arrogance  of  any  foreigner,  however  great  and  powerful 
he  might  be.  He  considered  the  demands  an  insult, 
and  ordered  that  the  embassy  should  be  sent  back  to 
China  without  being  admitted  either  into  his  own  pre- 


148 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


sence  at  Kamakura  or  to  that  of  the  Emperor  at  Kioto. 
Five  more  embassies  met  with  the  same  reception.  None 
was  allowed  to  continue  the  journey  further  than  Kiushiu 
where  each  landed.  Then  Kublai  Khan  tried  the  experi- 
ment of  a small  expedition  to  Tsushima,  the  island 
lying  in  the  straits  of  Korea,  midway  between  Japan 
and  Korea,  an  acknowledged  part  of  the  Japanese 
Empire.  The  expedition  was  driven  back  with  heavy 
loss.  This  was  at  the  close  of  the  year  1274.  In  the 
following  year,  another  embassy  consisting  of  nine 
envoys  came,  and  as  the  envoys  refused  to  return  to  their 
own  country  without  a formal  answer  to  their  demand, 
Tokimune  caused  them  to  be  arrested  and  brought  to 
Kamakura,  where  they  were  decapitated  on  the  common 
execution  ground.  Four  years  passed,  and  then  another 
embassy  was  sent,  only  to  meet  with  the  same  fate,  on 
this  occasion  at  their  landing-place.  The  indignation 
of  the  great  Emperor  of  China  was  now  thoroughly 
roused,  as  it  well  might  be,  and  he  determined  to  make 
the  audacious  islanders,  the  breeders  of  pirates  and 
violators  of  the  laws  of  nations,  pay  the  penalty  of  their 
misdeeds.  He  spent  two  years  in  preparing  a huge 
armada  of  more  than  three  hundred  great  ships.  In 
them  an  army  of  a hundred  thousand  men  was  embarked, 
and  the  whole  set  sail  for  Japan. 

The  Japanese  had  full  warning  of  all  his  preparations 
and  of  the  sailing  of  the  fleet,  and  on  their  side  had 
not  been  remiss.  Fortunately,  the  country  enjoyed 
domestic  peace.  Tokimune  ruled  with  a firm  hand,  his 
authority  was  undisputed,  his  popularity  great  through 
the  whole  country  and  all  his  orders  were  promptly 
obeyed.  Troops  were  dispatched  to  Kiushiu,  the  western 
defences  of  the  island  strengthened  and  a fleet  of  ships 
put  in  commission.  But  the  Japanese  ships  were  smaller 
than  the  Chinese,  and  while  the  Chinese  were  armed  with 
great  catapults,  capable  of  hurling  huge  stones  with 


THE  HOJO  USURPERS 


149 


precision  and  force,  in  the  use  of  which  the  crews  were 
thoroughly  trained,  the  Japanese,  until  they  came  to 
close  quarters,  had  no  weapons  but  their  arrows  to  rely 
on.  Their  skill  and  experience  as  sailors  were,  on  the 
other  hand,  far  in  advance  of  the  Chinese,  and  their 
ships,  if  small,  were  more  easily  handled  than  the  tower- 
ing war  junks  of  China. 

The  Japanese  compare  the  story  of  Kublai  Khan’s 
attempted  invasion  wdth  that  of  the  Spanish  Armada, 
and  a strong  similarity  appears  in  all  the  details  of  both 
stories,  excepting  only  the  execution  of  the  ambassadors, 
as  they  are  told  from  the  conception  on  the  side  of  the 
continental  sovereigns  of  the  first  ideas  of  the  invasions 
down  to  the  final  catastrophes  in  which  both  ended. 
Tokimune  was  not,  like  Elizabeth,  legitimately  the 
supreme  ruler  of  his  country,  but  he  was  like  her  in  all 
the  individual  characteristics  that  could  be  common  in 
persons  of  opposite  sex.  Both  Philip  of  Spain  and 
Kublai  Khan  equipped  what  each  thought  an  invincible 
armada  to  exterminate  a nest  of  insolent  pirates  and 
bring  to  their  feet  an  island  country  of  infinitely  inferior 
resources  to  their  own.  In  both  cases  the  resolution, 
skill  and  valour  of  the  defenders  might  perhaps  have 
failed  had  not  the  forces  of  nature  come  at  an  opportune 
moment  to  their  assistance,  and  in  both  the  disaster 
which  fell  upon  the  invaders  was  wholesale  and  com- 
plete. 

The  Chinese  fleet  sailed  slowdy  across  the  seas  which, 
in  our  own  day,  have  witnessed  the  destruction  of  the 
Russian  fleet.  Its  voyage  was  not  uninterrupted.  The 
light  Japanese  ships  hung  on  its  outskirts  as  it  neared 
the  shores  of  Japan,  just  as  the  English  did  on  the 
Spanish  fleet  while  it  made  its  way  up  the  Channel, 
and  succeeded  in  inflicting  some  loss  while  suffering 
none  themselves.  But  still  the  great  fleet  kept  on  its 
way,  and  finally  anchored  off  the  coast  of  Kiushiu. 


150 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


There  it  lay  close  to  the  shore,  the  ships  anchored  in 
a long  line  and  fastened  together  with  chains.  From  the 
towers  the  catapults  discharged  huge  stones  on  the 
Japanese  defences  on  the  shore,  endeavouring  to  clear  the 
way  for  a landing,  but  however  powerless  the  Japanese 
were  against  the  ships,  their  swordsmen  at  close  quarters 
were  more  than  a match  for  the  bravest  Tartar  spearsmen 
that  endeavoured  to  climb  over  the  defences,  and  every 
attempt  at  landing  was  beaten  back  with  heavy  loss  to 
the  invaders.  Prayers  for  help  and  the  protection  of  the 
divine  country,  peopled  with  their  descendants,  had  been 
offered  to  the  Gods.  The  Emperor,  Go  Uda  (1274-1288), 
fifteen  years  of  age  at  the  time,  had  gone  in  person  to 
the  sacred  shrines  of  Ise  to  implore  his  divine  ancestress 
the  Sun  Goddess’s  aid.  The  prayers  were  answered. 
The  season  at  which  the  monsoon  changes  had  arrived, 
and  the  change  is  usually  prefaced  by  a typhoon,  the 
most  terrible  form  of  storm  that  sweeps  the  seas  in  any 
part  of  the  world,  which  nowhere  rages  with  greater 
violence  than  along  the  coast  of  Western  and  Southern 
Kiushiu.  One  burst  upon  the  great  fleet  as  it  lay  at 
anchor  in  close  order,  unable  to  manoeuvre  or  make  its 
way  from  the  shores.  The  ships  were  hurled  together 
and  shattered  and  sunk  at  their  anchors.  The  sea  was 
blocked  with  bodies  of  their  crews.  Those  that  escaped 
from  the  anchorage  fell  upon  the  unknown  rocks  that 
line  the  coast  everywhere,  and  the  Japanese  ships, 
issuing  from  the  harbours  and  inlets  where  they  had 
lain  securely  hidden  throughout  the  storm,  completed 
the  destruction  of  those  that  escaped  the  rocks,  the  ships 
crippled  and  shattered  and  the  crews  demoralized.  Of 
all  the  grand  armada  that  had  so  proudly  sailed  from 
China  a few  months  before,  only  three  persons,  the  sole 
survivors,  returned  to  tell  their  story  to  the  Emperor. 
The  lesson  derived  from  the  whole  story  by  the  Japanese 
historian  is  one  that  the  Japanese  apply  to  themselves  at 


THE  HO  JO  USURPERS 


151 


the  present  day.  “The  secret  of  victory  and  of  defeat 
lies  in  the  spirit  of  men,  and  not  in  their  weapons.  We 
have  a quality  in  which  we  naturally  excel,  and  in  that 
we  should  put  our  trust.”  The  glory  of  this  great 
exploit,  the  services  which  they  rendered  to  the  nation  in 
their  civil  government,  the  equally  great  personal  virtues 
of  many  members  of  the  dynasty  have  not  given  the 
Hojo  a place  in  the  affectionate  memories  of  their 
countrymen.  Their  merits  were  insufficient  to  atone  for 
their  wicked  treason  to  their  Emperors.  All  their  benevo- 
lence, all  their  mercies,  all  their  self-denial,  were  but 
penances  for  their  great  wickedness,  and  “their  fall  was 
a just  retribution  for  their  offences  to  both  Gods  and 
men.” 


CHAPTER  IX 


THE  ASHIKAGA  SHOGUNS 

The  ostensible  cause  of  the  war  which  terminated  in 
the  downfall  of  the  Hojo  was  the  restoration  of  the 
Emperor  to  his  legitimate  position  as  de  facto  as  well 
as  de  jure  Sovereign  of  the  Empire,  and  the  abolition  of 
the  dual  form  of  government  founded  by  Yoritomo.  It 
was  the  same  cause  as  that  which  brought  about  the 
overthrow  of  the  Tokugawas  in  1868  and  the  restoration 
of  the  present  Emperor,  but  its  results  were  different. 
In  1868  the  cause  was  loyally  supported  to  the  end  by 
those  who  successfully  fought  for  it,  and  the  Imperial 
Government  was  firmly  established.  In  the  fourteenth 
century  the  treachery  and  self-seeking  of  one  man 
counteracted  all  the  loyalty  and  devotion  of  those  who 
had  hoped  to  see  the  revival  of  the  ancient  regime  of 
their  country,  and  their  Sovereign  once  more  exercising 
in  person  the  supreme  control  of  its  affairs  from  his 
ancient  capital  in  Kioto.  The  only  result  was  to  rivet 
the  fetters  of  the  Emperor  more  firmly,  and  to  establish 
on  a more  secure  and  permanent  basis  the  administration 
of  a new  line  of  military  usurpers. 

The  Emperor  Go  Daigo  was  once  more  on  his  throne  at 
Kioto,  and  there  was  neither  Shogun  nor  Shikken  to  take 
the  power  out  of  his  hands,  while  the  Fujiwara,  the  great 
family  of  the  Court,  who  without  any  backing  of  military 
strength  had,  by  moral  force,  by  the  triumph  of  strong 
over  weak  characters,  rendered  his  predecessors  from  the 
seventh  to  the  twelfth  century  mere  faineants,  though 

152 


THE  ASHIKAGA  SHOGUNS 


153 


they  were  still  vested  with  all  the  dignity  and  influence 
that  flow  from  rank  and  ancient  lineage  in  an  aristocratic 
country  such  as  Japan,  had  been  too  long  bereft  of  all 
political  power  to  make  themselves  now  an  independent 
factor  able  to  make  its  influence  felt  to  the  detriment  of 
their  sovereign’s  prerogative.  The  Emperor  himself 
had  also  shown  qualities  of  industry,  courage  and  states- 
manship that  could  be  found  in  few  of  his  predecessors 
throughout  the  antecedent  periods  of  the  usurpation  of 
the  Taira,  Minamoto  and  Hojo.  Exile,  however,  had 
not  improved  him,  and  after  the  years  of  suffering  and 
want  through  which  he  had  passed  he  yielded  to  the 
temptations  of  the  luxury  and  sensualism  of  the  court. 

Of  the  three  generals  to  whom  he  owed  his  new 
fortunes,  Masahige  and  Yoshisada  had  not  only  ren- 
dered the  greatest  services  to  him  during  the  war,  but 
both  were  faithful  to  his  cause  from  the  first.  The  third, 
Takauji,  had  not  only  rendered  less  meritorious  service, 
but  was  at  first  among  the  Emperor’s  enemies,  and 
became  his  champion  only  by  acting  as  a shameless 
traitor  to  those  who  had  trusted  him  and  for  whom  he 
had  promised  to  fight.  But  it  was  on  Takauji  that  the 
Emperor  bestowed  the  highest  rewards,  and  it  was 
Takauji  whom  he  took  into  his  closest  confidence.  Cun- 
ning, unscrupulous,  dissimulating,  Takauji  soon  sowed 
suspicion  in  his  Imperial  master’s  ears  of  his  best 
friends,  and  then,  feeling  sure  of  that  master’s  com- 
pliance with  any  request  he  might  prefer,  and  lord  him- 
self, by  the  Emperor’s  gifts  of  the  forfeited  domains  of 
the  Hojo,  of  the  Provinces  of  Kuanto,  with  all  the 
powerful  military  strength  that  lordship  gave  him,  he 
claimed  from  the  Emperor  the  revival  of  the  Shogunate 
in  his  favour,  alleging  that  it  was  his  due  as  a descendant 
of  the  Minamoto  family,  the  family  who  were  the  first 
to  hold  the  office.  The  grant  of  this  claim  would  have 
undone  everything  that  had  been  gained  by  the  war — 


154 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


it  would  have  been  merely  the  transfer  of  the  power 
held  and  exercised  by  the  Hojo  to  the  Ashikaga — and  it 
was  refused  by  the  Emperor.  Then  Takauji  resolved  to 
take  by  force  what  he  had  been  refused  by  favour,  and 
marched  on  Kioto  with  a large  army.  Too  late  the 
Emperor  learned  that  a man  who  has  shown  himself  a 
traitor  once  is  likely  to  do  so  a second  time  when  tempta- 
tion comes.  But  he  also  learned  that  true  loyalty, 
founded  on  no  vulgar  self-ambition,  is  proof  against 
ingratitude  and  the  consciousness  of  unrequited  merit. 
Yoshisada  and  Masahige,  whom  he  had  rewarded  so 
inadequately,  whom  he  had  remitted  into  the  cold  shades 
of  disfavour  while  he  was  fawned  on  by  Takauji,  once 
more  took  up  arms  on  his  behalf,  as  they  had  done  to 
free  him  from  the  tyranny  of  the  Hojo.  The  issue  was 
fought  out  on  the  banks  of  the  Minatogawa,  the  site  of 
Kiyomori’s  palace,  close  to  the  scene  of  the  battle  of 
Ichi  no  Tani  one  hundred  and  fifty-two  years  before, 
where  Yoshitsune  gained  his  first  great  triumph  over  the 
Taira.  Takauji,  by  superior  generalship,  contrived  to 
get  between  the  two  divisions  of  the  Imperial  army, 
commanded  respectively  by  Yoshisada  and  Masahige, 
with  an  army  far  superior  in  numbers  to  the  aggregate 
of  both,  and  destroyed  both  in  turn.  At  the  end  of  the 
battle,  Masahige,  with  seventy-two  of  his  followers,  all 
wounded  like  himself,  withdrew  into  a farmer’s  house 
near  the  battlefield,  and  there,  disdaining  to  yield  when 
escape  was  hopeless,  died  in  the  usual  Samurai  fashion. 
Just  as  Yamatodake  and  Yoshitsune  are  looked  upon 
as  noble  types  of  Japanese  chivalry,  so  is  Masahige 
regarded  to  this  day  as  the  highest  and  noblest  model 
that  Japan  has  produced  of  the  still  higher  quality  of 
unselfish  and  devoted  loyalty,  the  quality  which,  in  the 
Japanese  moral  code,  ranks  far  above  any  other,  even 
that  of  filial  piety.  Filial  piety  owes,  indeed,  its  value 
chiefly  to  the  fact  that  it  is  the  foundation  of  the  loyalty 


THE  ASHIKAGA  SHOGUNS 


155 


that  is  due  to  the  Emperor.  Unless  a man  respects  his 
parents,  how  can  he  respect  and  obey  the  Emperor,  who 
is  the  father  of  the  whole  nation  ? The  national  rever- 
ence for  Masahige  continues  unabated  to  this  day.  A 
statue  has  been  erected  in  the  heart  of  Tokio  by  the 
present  generation  to  his  memory,  and  when  one  of  the 
great  leaders  of  modern  thought  in  Japan  once  con- 
demned his  final  sacrifice  of  his  own  life,  his  cold-blooded 
criticism  was  received  with  universal  execration.  Yoshi- 
sada  escaped  from  the  battlefield  with  six  thousand  men 
out  of  the  twenty-five  thousand  he  had  led  into  it.  He 
carried  on  the  war  in  the  west  for  two  more  years.  One 
day,  when  at  the  head  of  only  fifty  men,  he  was  surprised 
and  surrounded  by  a force  of  over  three  thousand.  As 
he  charged,  in  the  wild  hope  of  breaking  through  the 
lines  around  him,  he  was  struck  by  an  arrow  in  the  eye. 
He  drew  out  the  arrow,  but,  being  mortally  wounded, 
cut  off  his  own  head  with  his  sword.  His  little  band  all 
died  with  him,  and  his  head  was  sent  to  Kioto,  where 
it  was  publicly  pilloried  on  the  prison  gate,  as  had  been 
the  heads  of  many  brave  men  before  him.  As  a loyal 
and  devoted  soldier,  his  memory  is  only  less  reverenced 
than  that  of  Masahige. 

Takauji  had  now  overcome  all  opposition,  and  was  as 
much  master  of  the  situation  as  Kiyomori  after  the  death 
of  Yoshitomo  or  Yoritomo  after  the  battle  of  Dan  no 
Ura.  At  the  head  of  his  victorious  army  he  marched  at 
once  on  Kioto.  The  Emperor  Go  Daigo,  whom  he  had 
assisted  to  recover  his  throne  only  three  years  before, 
to  whose  gratitude  and  favour  he  owed  so  much  of  his 
present  wealth  and  power,  who  had,  on  the  other  hand, 
offended  him  by  refusing  him  the  title  of  the  Great 
Shogun,  fled  from  the  capital,  taking  with  him  the 
Imperial  regalia,  and  sought  refuge  among  the  hills  of 
Yoshino,  as  Yoshitsune  had  done  when  he  fled  before 
the  anger  of  his  brother.  There  the  Emperor  found  a 


156 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


home  in  the  very  same  temple  that  Yoshitsune  and 
Benkei  had  occupied.  The  Emperor’s  rooms  still  remain 
as  they  were  when  he  used  them  nearly  six  hundred 
years  ago,  and  his  grave  is  shown  but  a little  way  from 
the  Temple.  The  flight  of  the  Emperor  and  the  removal 
of  the  regalia  left  the  capital  without  the  authority  that 
could  alone  legalize  whatever  Takauji  chose  to  do. 
Every  act  of  his  that  was  not  done  in  the  name  and 
with  the  nominal  sanction  of  the  Emperor  was  that  of  a 
rebel,  and  no  pretence  could  be  made  to  the  nominal 
sanction  when  the  Emperor  was  a fugitive  and  in  hiding 
from  him  who  wanted  it.  Takauji  was  in  the  same 
plight  as  Yoritomo  when  the  Taira  fled  from  Kioto 
and  Fukuwara  to  the  west,  taking  with  them  the  young 
Emperor  Antoku  and  the  regalia.  Yoritomo  awaited 
the  death  of  the  Emperor  and  the  recovery  of  the  regalia 
before  raising  a new  sovereign  to  the  throne,  but 
Takauji  was  not  so  scrupulous.  On  entering  Kioto,  he 
at  once  declared  that  Go  Daigo’s  flight  was  tantamount 
to  abdication,  that  the  throne  was  vacant,  and  as  dic- 
tators, with  whom  might  was  right,  had  done  before, 
he  at  once  nominated  to  it  Prince  Kogen,  a son  of  the 
previous  Emperor,  Go  Fushimi  (1298-1301),  and  from 
the  new  Emperor  he  obtained  for  himself  the  coveted 
title  of  Sei-i-Tai-Shogun,  for  the  sake  of  which  he  had 
proved  a traitor  to  his  legitimate  sovereign  and 
slaughtered  his  own  friends  and  allies.  A curious 
constitutional  situation  was  thus  created.  The  fugitive 
Emperor  was  in  possession  of  the  sacred  regalia,  and 
according  to  all  the  traditions  of  the  Empire  from  the 
most  ancient  times,  whatever  member  of  the  Imperial 
family  was  in  actual  possession  of  the  regalia  acquired 
the  sovereignty  by  divine  right,  and  no  loyalty  was  due 
to  one  who  claimed  to  be  the  Emperor  and  whose  claim 
was  not  supported  by  his  possession  of  the  outward  and 
visible  tokens  of  his  divine  sovereignty.  On  the  other 


THE  ASHIKAGA  SHOGUNS 


157 


side,  the  new  Emperor  held  the  throne,  the  palace  and 
the  capital  with  the  support  and  protection  of  the  most 
powerful  military  leader  in  the  Empire,  whose  strength 
none  dared  to  challenge.  This  situation  continued  for 
nearly  sixty  years.  Throughout  all  this  time  there  were 
two  rival  Imperial  dynasties,  one  called  the  Northern 
Dynasty,  which  continued  to  reign  at  Kioto,  and  to 
exercise  the  nominal  influence  in  the  affairs  of  state 
which  was  all  that  the  Emperors  had  done  for  nearly 
six  centuries.  The  other,  called  the  Southern  Dynasty, 
retained  in  its  keeping  the  only  true  symbols  of  legiti- 
macy, and  remained  at  Yoshino,  with  neither  real  nor 
nominal  influence,  in  poverty  and  helplessness,  poverty 
that  was  not  the  fiction  of  a great  house  unable  to 
maintain  itself  with  the  splendour  that  becomes  its 
dignity,  but  one  that  sometimes  amounted  to  the  in- 
ability to  provide  the  actual  necessaries  of  daily  life.  In 
1393  a reconciliation  was  effected  between  the  two 
Imperial  houses,  and  a compromise  arranged  under 
which  Go  Kameyama,  the  Southern  Emperor,  surren- 
dered the  regalia  to  Go  Komatsu,  the  Emperor  of  the 
Northern  Dynasty.  There  were  in  all  six  Emperors  of 
the  Northern  Dynasty  who  reigned  with  outward  splen- 
dour at  Kioto,  but  history  has  treated  all  but  the  last, 
who  recovered  the  regalia,  as  usurpers,  and  called  them 
the  “False  Emperors,”  and  the  official  list  of  the 
Sovereigns  of  Japan  ignores  their  names,  and  includes 
only  those  of  the  Southern  Dynasty,  who  passed  a 
miserable  existence  in  obscurity  at  Yoshino. 

All  the  previous  Shoguns,  from  the  great  Yoritomo 
down  to  the  helpless  children  who  held  the  office  under 
the  dictatorship  of  the  Hojo,  lived  at  Kamakura,  which 
was  therefore  inseparably  associated  with  the  office  in 
the  minds  of  the  nation.  Kamakura  had  now  begun  to 
rise  from  its  ashes,  and  to  give  promise  of  recovering 
in  time  some  degree  at  least  of  its  former  wealth  and 


158 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


magnificence.  It  was  the  capital  of  the  Eastern  prov- 
inces, from  which  Takauji  derived  his  wealth  and 
strength,  and  all  the  considerations  both  of  sentiment 
and  interest  seemed  to  point  to  it  as  his  residence  and 
the  seat  of  his  government.  But  he  was  no  halfway 
reformer.  He  determined  to  institute  a new  regime, 
and  building  a palace  at  Muromachi  in  Kioto,  one  whose 
size  and  splendour  threw  that  of  the  Emperor  far  into 
the  shade,  he  fixed  that  as  the  residence  of  himself  and 
his  successors,  and  nominated  a cadet  of  the  family  to 
represent  its  government  at  Kamakura.  The  name  of  the 
site  of  the  palace  was  given  to  the  dynasty,  following 
the  custom  under  which  historical  characters  are  often 
spoken  of  by  their  territorial  titles  rather  than  by  their 
personal  names,  and  the  years  in  which  the  Ashikaga 
Shoguns  governed  the  Empire  are  therefore  frequently 
mentioned  as  the  Muromachi  period  in  the  national 
history. 

Takauji,  the  founder  of  the  line,  lived  for  twenty 
years  after  he  attained  the  summit  of  his  ambition.  In 
previous  dynasties,  when  a Shogun  died,  or  abdicated, 
or  was  deposed,  the  office  remained  theoretically  vacant 
until  the  Emperor  made  a new  nomination  of  a suc- 
cessor, but  another  drastic  reform  made  by  Takauji  was 
to  render  the  office  hereditary  in  his  own  family,  inde- 
pendently of  the  Emperor’s  nomination,  and  his  direct 
descendants  succeeded  in  turn  without  going  through 
the  formality  of  asking  for  or  receiving  the  Imperial 
sanction.  In  a country  where  the  Emperor  had  been 
always  the  sole  source  of  all  honour  and  authority,  this 
reform  was  of  a more  serious  nature  than  might  appear 
on  first  glance,  and  it  formed  the  justification  for  great 
territorial  nobles  in  later  years  to  flout  and  rebel  against 
Takauji’s  successors.  There  were  in  all  fourteen 
Shoguns  of  his  dynasty  between  1335  when  the  office 
was  first  conferred  on  him,  and  1573,  when  the  line  came 


THE  ASHIKAGA  SHOGUNS 


159 


to  an  end.  It  would  be  apart  from  the  scope  and  inten- 
tion of  this  work  to  give  a detailed  story  of  the  domestic 
events  in  Japan  throughout  this  period.  It  is  one  that 
is  full  of  all  the  worst  horrors  of  unbroken  civil  wars, 
slaughter,  plunder,  burning,  national  want  and  misery 
among  all  classes,  high  as  well  as  of  low  degree ; and  it 
is  redeemed  by  none  of  the  chivalrous  and  heroic  figures, 
by  none  of  the  noble  acts  which  brightened  the  dark 
periods  of  the  wars  of  the  Gempei  or  the  overthrow  of 
the  Hojo.  Territorial  nobles  were  at  constant  feud 
among  themselves.  Every  one  desired  to  increase  his 
own  domains  at  the  expense  of  his  neighbour,  and  he 
could  only  do  that  by  the  sword.  The  power  and  wealth 
of  the  most  powerful  and  wealthy  among  them  steadily 
increased,  while  the  weaker  disappeared  from  the  face  of 
the  land.  At  the  close  of  the  dynasty  there  were  many 
feudal  chiefs  whose  strength  was  equal  or  even  superior 
to  that  of  the  Ashikaga,  and  who  were  able  to  treat  the 
usurping  government  with  insolent  contemptuousness. 
Another  great  and  growing  influence  that  made  itself 
felt  as  a political  factor  was  that  of  the  Buddhist  priest- 
hood, whose  members  combined  the  occupations  of 
warriors  and  priests.  Their  monasteries  were  converted 
into  fortresses,  and  their  members  were  as  expert  in 
wielding  the  sword  and  lance  as  they  were  in  interpret- 
ing the  sacred  books.  Mount  Hiyei,  a few  miles  to  the 
north  of  Kioto,  on  whose  slopes  and  summit  there  were 
more  than  three  thousand  monasteries,  was  a huge 
fortified  camp,  and  the  alliance  of  the  priests  was 
eagerly  sought  for  by  rival  factions,  and  was  often 
sufficient  to  turn  the  scale  in  favour  of  the  side  to  which 
it  was  given.  Many  of  the  territorial  nobles,  in  addition 
to  the  fortresses  on  their  own  domains,  maintained 
palaces  at  Kioto,  which  also  partook  largely  of  the 
character  of  fortresses,  and  the  peace  of  the  capital  was 
often  broken  by  brawls  among  their  retainers.  In  some 


160 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


cases  the  streets  became  the  scene  of  a great  battle  in 
which  the  whole  strength  of  two  rival  clans  was  engaged, 
and  between  the  two  the  sufferings  of  the  unfortunate 
citizens,  whose  lives  were  as  little  secure  as  their  prop- 
erty, were  pitiable.  Driven  from  their  burning  houses, 
they  were  forced  to  seek  safety  in  flight  through  a crowd 
of  infuriated  clansmen,  mad  with  the  lust  of  blood,  and 
they  were  fortunate  indeed  if  they  escaped,  the  men  with 
life  and  the  women  with  honour,  having  lost  all  their 
worldly  goods,  destitute  and  homeless,  knowing  not 
where  to  find  either  food  or  shelter.  Mediaeval  Rome  or 
Edinburgh  under  the  early  Stuarts  were  sanctuaries  of 
peace  and  security  as  compared  with  Kioto  in  the  four- 
teenth and  fifteenth  centuries.  Similar  conditions 
occurred  at  different  periods  throughout  the  whole 
Empire;  Kamakura  and  every  feudal  town  were  all,  in 
their  turn,  battlefields.  Town  and  country  were  alike  in 
turn  wasted;  agriculture  was  neglected  when  farmers 
felt  no  certainty  of  either  life  or  property,  and  famine 
and  pestilence  followed,  amid  which  the  people  died  like 
flies.  While  such  was  the  internal  disorder,  no  control 
could  be  observed  on  Japanese  beyond  the  seas.  Piracy 
became  rampant,  and  the  coasts  of  China  and  Korea 
were  once  more  harried  without  mercy,  as  they  had  been 
a hundred  times  before.  There  were,  of  course,  brief 
interludes  of  peace  when  exhaustion  induced  rival  clans 
to  lay  down  their  arms  for  a while,  or  the  extermination 
of  one  enabled  its  conquerors  to  tranquillize  its  own  and 
its  acquired  domains.  Then  the  country  got  some 
breathing  time,  and  with  the  wonderful  capacity  for 
rising  from  misfortune  which  the  Japanese  possess  both 
individually  and  nationally,  the  people  would  recover  in 
some  degree  from  their  material  degradation,  but  when 
war  broke  out  again,  as  it  invariably  did,  the  same  story 
of  butchery  and  rapine  was  repeated  with  all  its  grue- 
some details.  Twice  under  the  Ashikaga,  the  Eastern 


THE  ASHIKAGA  SHOGUNS 


161 


capital,  Kamakura,  met  with  the  same  fate  it  had  done 
at  the  overthrow  of  the  Hojo,  and  from  its  last  downfall, 
which  occurred  in  1524,  when  the  Ashikaga  were  also 
drawing  near  their  close,  it  never  recovered. 

A list  of  the  Ashikaga  Shoguns  will  be  found  in  the 
Appendix.  Few  of  them  need  be  mentioned  here,  though 
some  were  men  of  strong  character,  who,  while  they 
lived,  succeeded  in  preserving  some  semblance  of  peace 
and  order.  Yoshimitsu,  the  third  of  the  line,  governed 
with  justice  and  firmness.  In  his  youth  he  had  the 
advantage  of  a capable  and  honest  guardian,  by  whom 
his  character  was  trained  so  that  he  became  a strong  and 
determined  governor  when  he  arrived  at  manhood,  able 
to  keep  the  turbulent  nobles  in  check  and  maintain 
peace.  But  his  pride  and  love  of  display  led  him  into 
a step  which  has  brought  on  his  memory  the  execration 
of  his  countrymen.  Not  satisfied  with  the  great  title  of 
Shogun,  with  other  honours  bestowed  on  him  by  the 
Emperor,  he  aspired  to  the  dignity  of  royalty.  Even  he 
could  not  dare  to  trespass  on  the  exclusive  honours  of 
the  Imperial  crown,  so  he  assumed  the  title  of  king,  one 
till  then  and  since  unknown  in  Japan,  and  in  order  to 
procure  his  recognition  as  such  he  paid  a large  sum  to 
the  Emperor  of  China.  The  ostensible  reason  for  pay- 
ment was  that  of  indemnity  for  losses  which  the  subjects 
of  the  Emperor  of  China  had  suffered  from  the  depreda- 
tions of  the  Japanese  pirates,  but  the  Chinese  accepted 
it  as  tribute,  and  Japan  was  thenceforward  included 
among  their  tributary  kingdoms.  The  very  thought  of 
this  national  humiliation  is  to  this  day  sufficient  to  stir 
the  indignation  of  the  mildest  and  gentlest  peace-lover 
among  the  subjects  of  the  Tenno. 

It  was  under  the  Ashikaga  that  Japan  made  her  first 
acquaintance  with  Europeans  and  that  Christianity 
found  a foothold  in  the  Empire,  the  story  of  which  will 
be  told  in  a later  chapter  in  this  work.  What  is  now  to 

M 


162 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


be  told  is  that  of  the  influence  which  the  Ashikaga 
exercised  on  the  development  of  national  art,  which 
under  their  encouragement  received  an  impetus  that  has 
caused  this  period  of  history  to  be  called  the  golden  age 
of  Japanese  art. 

Whatever  were  the  disorder  and  misery  of  the  Empire, 
the  Ashikaga  always  contrived  to  live  in  luxury  and 
splendour  in  their  palaces  at  Kioto.  Many  of  them 
possessed  literary  and  artistic  tastes  and  capacity  of  a 
high  order,  and  when,  following  the  national  custom 
of  every  class  from  the  Court  downwards,  a Shogun  of 
their  line  abdicated  in  favour  of  his  son,  his  later  years 
of  ease  and  irresponsibility  were  spent  in  the  society  of 
artists  and  literati,  and  in  the  cultivation  of  their  best 
talents.  Yoshinori,  the  sixth  of  the  line,  was  himself 
a poet  and  historian.  To  Yoshimasa,  the  eighth,  are 
due  the  graceful  ceremonies  of  the  Cha  no  Yu,  or  tea- 
drinking, the  highest  development  of  aesthetic  refinement 
in  the  social  customs  of  Japan,  which  to  this  day  are 
observed  in  the  noblest  society,  in  the  Imperial  Court 
itself,  with  the  same  reverential  formality  that  they  were 
in  the  time  of  their  first  great  patron.  The  lovely 
monastery  of  Ginkakuji,  the  silver  pavilion,  the  roof  of 
which  was  once  sheathed  in  pure  silver,  was  built  by 
him,  as  a garden  summer-house  in  which  he  could 
practise  the  ceremonies  he  loved  in  the  midst  of  all  that 
was  most  beautiful  in  art  and  nature ; and  the  pictures, 
the  work  of  the  best  artists  of  China  and  Japan,  which 
adorn  the  ceiling  and  walls  of  the  pavilion,  testify  to 
Yoshimasa’s  critical  skill  and  taste.  The  Kinkakuji,  or 
golden  pavilion,  an  equally  beautiful  monastery  in 
another  part  of  Kioto,  where  not  only  the  roof  but  the 
pillars,  rafters  and  ceiling  were  all  sheathed  in  gold, 
was  built  by  Yoshimitsu  as  a retreat  for  his  old  age, 
and  it  is  even  richer  in  pictorial  treasures  than  Ginka- 
kuji. Not  far  from  it  is  Toji-in,  another  monastery 


THE  ASHIKAGA  SHOGUNS 


163 


founded  by  Takauji,  which  contains  effigies  of  all  the 
Ashikaga  Shoguns,  modelled  by  contemporary  artists, 
and  presumably,  therefore,  faithful  representations  of 
what  the  originals  were  in  life. 

The  greatest  painters  that  Japan  has  ever  produced 
were  all  born  and  lived  and  worked  under  the  Ashikaga. 
They  include  Josetsu,  Mutsunobu,  Cho  Densu,  Sesshu, 
Mitsuhige,  and  the  two  great  classical  painters  of  the 
Kano  school,  Masanobu  and  Motonobu,  all  names  as 
worthily  venerated  in  Japan  as  are  those  of  Raphael, 
Titian,  Rubens  and  Murillo  by  lovers  of  art  in  Europe. 
Goto,  the  founder  of  the  art  of  damascening  weapons 
and  armour,  the  art  which  has  given  to  us  the  beautiful 
sword  guards  and  ornaments  that  are  the  joy  of  modern 
European  art  collectors,  and  himself  the  greatest  master 
of  the  art,  died  in  1513  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight;  but 
neither  sculpture  nor  carving  seems  to  have  appealed  to 
the  aesthetic  perception  of  the  Ashikaga,  as  their  age 
is  practically  destitute  of  great  representatives  of  the 
two  arts,  many  masters  in  which  lived  and  worked  in 
other  periods  of  the  history.  The  most  classic  form  of 
drama,  the  No,  was  for  the  first  time  introduced  into 
Kioto,  and  it  was  taken  under  the  special  patronage  of 
Yoshimochi,  the  fourth  Shogun,  under  whom  it  acquired 
such  favour  that  it  never  subsequently  failed  in  the 
fascination  it  exercised  over  the  nobles  and  most  culti- 
vated classes  of  the  Empire.  To  the  present  day  repre- 
sentations of  the  plays  are  given  in  the  Imperial  palace 
by  the  direct  lineal  descendants  of  the  very  actors  who 
performed  them  more  than  five  hundred  years  ago  in 
the  palace  of  the  Ashikaga  at  Kioto.  The  stage  of 
to-day  is  the  exact  model  of  that  on  which  they  were 
first  performed,  with  the  same  decorations,  the  same 
absence  of  scenery  or  mechanical  effects.  Masks  are 
amongst  the  essential  properties  of  the  No  performances, 
and  the  wonderful  skill  which  the  Japanese  show  in 

M 2 


164 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


modelling  these  masks  is  largely  due  to  their  desire  to 
produce  those  whose  artistic  merits  would  be  worthy  of 
the  classic  objects  for  which  they  were  required.  Artists 
in  lacquer,  in  ceramics,  in  landscape  gardening— all 
three  closely  associated  w:ith  the  celebration  of  the  Cha 
no  Yu — may  also  be  mentioned  as  among  those  who 
reflected  honour  on  their  patrons,  under  whose  protec- 
tion they  were  able  to  work  in  safety,  to  give  with 
tranquil  minds  their  whole  thought  to  their  labours  of 
love,  while  around  them  w^ere  ruin  and  desolation. 


CHAPTER  X 


NOBUNAGA — THE  BUDDHIST  PERSECUTOR 

The  three  last  Shoguns  of  the  Ashikaga  line  were 
Yoshiharu  (1521-1545),  Yoshiteru  (1546-1567),  and 
Yoshiaki  (1568-1573).  Like  the  sons  of  Yoritomo  and 
the  last  of  the  Hojo,  all  three  gave  way  to  idleness  and 
self-indulgence  in  the  society  of  favourites  as  destitute 
of  industry  and  ability  as  themselves,  and  left  the  inter- 
ests of  the  state  entirely  in  the  hands  of  their  ministers 
and  advisers.  The  germ  of  the  disease,  which  caused 
the  official  deaths  of  Minamoto  Semman  and  Hojo  Taka- 
toki,  had  entered  into  their  system  and  it  was  destined  to 
have  the  same  fatal  effects  upon  their  dynasty  as  it  had 
on  the  Minamoto  and  Hojo.  In  Yoshiteru,  the  usual 
delinquencies  were  intensified,  and  two  of  his  ministers, 
Miyoshi  Yoshitsugu  and  Matsunaga  Hisahide,  rose  in 
rebellion  against  him.  Yoshiteru  made  a feeble  attempt 
to  resist  them,  but  was  defeated,  and  he,  his  family  and 
his  retainers  were  all  killed.  His  younger  brother, 
Yoshiaki,  who  escaped  the  massacre  by  taking  refuge 
in  a monastery  in  Omi,  was  now  his  legitimate  heir. 
Unable  to  enforce  his  rights,  he  applied  for  help  to 
several  of  the  territorial  princes,  and  among  them  to 
Ota  Nobunaga.  The  latter  took  up  his  cause,  and 
marching  on  Kioto,  attacked  and  defeated  the  rebels 
with  a much  larger  army  than  their  own,  and  then  in- 
stalled Yoshiaki  in  his  hereditary  office  as  Shogun.  It 
is  with  Nobunaga  that  we  have  now  to  deal.  With  him 
opens  an  entirely  new  chapter  in  our  story,  and 

165 


166 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Yoshiaki  maybe  dismissed  with  a few  words.  His  effigy 
in  Toji-in  represents  a sensual,  unintelligent  type  of 
countenance,  and  his  career  as  Shogun  was  such  as 
might  be  expected  from  a man  of  weak  and  vicious 
character.  It  only  lasted  five  years.  Then  Nobunaga, 
his  protector,  to  whom  he  owed  his  dignity,  lost  patience 
with  him  and  deposed  him.  He  again  took  refuge  in  a 
monastery,  and  lived  for  twenty-six  years  afterwards, 
retaining  to  the  last,  even  in  his  monastic  imprison- 
ment, the  title  of  Shogun,  but  interfering  no  more  in 
state  affairs.  The  long  line  of  the  Ashikaga  Shoguns 
came  to  an  end  with  his  deposition,  having  lasted  in  all 
for  238  years.  This  was  in  the  year  1573. 

The  Ota  family  were  said  to  be  descended  from  the 
Taira.  Their  paternal  ancestor  was  killed  at  Dan  no 
Ura,  but  his  wife  escaped  from  the  general  massacre 
with  her  child  to  the  province  of  Omi,  where  she  married 
again.  The  child  grew  up  and  is  said  to  have  become 
a Shinto  priest  and  the  founder  of  a family  of  Shinto 
priests.  Be  the  truth  of  this  story  as  it  may,  Nobunaga’s 
father  forsook  the  priesthood  and  adopted  the  calling 
of  arms,  and  was  so  successful  as  a soldier,  at  a 
period  when  success  in  arms  was  rewarded  by  territorial 
grants,  that  he  became  the  prince  of  a small  fief  in 
Owari.  The  father  died  in  1549,  leaving  the  fief  to  his 
son,  who  was  then  sixteen  years  of  age.  It  was  almost 
the  worst  period  of  national  disorder  under  the  Ashikaga, 
one  which  gave  abundant  opportunity  to  a man  of 
courage,  decision  and  military  genius,  and  Nobunaga, 
who  possessed  all  these  qualities,  who,  in  addition  was 
assisted  from  the  beginning  of  his  career  by  four 
officers  in  his  service  of  scarcely  less  genius  than  him- 
self, one  of  whom  afterwards  showed  infinitely  greater 
genius,  was  able  to  extend  his  patrimony  so  rapidly, 
that  before  ten  years  elapsed  he  was  undisputed  master 
of  the  whole  of  the  province  of  Owari.  Thence,  he 


NOBUNAGA— THE  BUDDHIST  PERSECUTOR  167 


gradually  extended  his  domains  until  they  included  four 
other  provinces,  and  before  1568,  when  the  fugitive 
Shogun  Yoshiaki  appealed  for  his  help,  the  soldier  who 
started  as  the  lord  of  a small  and  insignificant  fief  was, 
in  his  strength  and  resources,  one  of  the  most  powerful 
feudal  chiefs  in  the  Empire,  and  his  own  personal 
qualities  combined  with  those  resources  to  render  him 
unquestionably  the  foremost  among  them  all.  The 
career  of  Yoritomo  was  before  him  as  a precedent  of 
what  might  be  achieved  by  a brave  and  competent 
general,  backed  by  a strong  military  force,  confident  in 
and  devoted  to  their  leader,  and  Nobunaga  now  saw  in 
the  future  the  day  when  he,  too,  might  become  as  much 
the  master  of  the  Empire  as  Yoritomo  was  in  his  lifetime. 

All  our  story  so  far  derives  its  material  from  Japanese 
sources.  Europeans  had  now  made  their  appearance  in 
Japan,  mercantile  adventurers  in  the  first  case,  shortly 
to  be  followed  by  missionaries,  who  have  left  vivid 
descriptions  of  the  events  in  Japan  of  which  they  were 
actual  witnesses,  of  the  great  historical  characters  who 
were  contemporary  with  them,  and  of  the  daily  life  and 
industry  of  the  people,  and  as  their  descriptions  harmon- 
ize with  those  of  the  native  writers,  when  due  allowance 
is  made  for  the  different  points  of  view  from  which 
events  and  personages  were  regarded  by  Europeans  and 
natives,  they  may  be  relied  upon  as  being  fairly  accur- 
ate. It  is  mainly  from  their  writings  that  the  rest  of 
our  story  will  be  summarized.  The  earliest  is  the 
“History  of  the  Church  in  Japan,”  the  story  told  by  the 
Jesuit  Fathers  of  their  missionary  labours  in  the  six- 
teenth and  seventeenth  centuries ; and  the  next  is  the 
“History  of  Japan,”  by  Kaempfer,  the  physician  to  the 
Dutch  Factory  at  Nagasaki.  Both  works  are  full  of  the 
most  absorbing  interest.  The  Jesuit  Fathers  tell  of 
what  they  saw,  of  what  they  experienced  themselves,  in 
language  as  graphic  as  their  experiences  were  thrilling. 


168 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Kaempfer  tells  what  he  saw,  and  also  gives  a profound 
and  philosophic  study  of  the  nation,  so  complete  as  to 
render  his  work,  first  published  in  England  nearly  200 
years  ago,  inaccurate  though  it  is  in  some  of  its  infer- 
ences, still  among  the  very  best  books  of  the  many 
thousands  that  have  been  written  on  Japan. 

The  Jesuit  Fathers  had  the  most  ample  opportunities 
of  studying  the  character  of  Nobunaga,  and,  as  he  is 
the  first  great  personage  in  Japanese  history  whose 
portrait  has  been  drawn  by  Europeans,  we  shall  quote 
what  the  Fathers  say  of  him  in  full — 

“Nobunaga  was  a Prince  of  large  stature,  but  of  a weak 
and  delicate  complexion,  which  made  him  appear  less  fit  to 
support  the  toil  and  fatigues  of  War.  Nevertheless,  he  had 
a heart  and  soul  that  infinitely  supplied  all  other  wants,  and 
was  naturally  ambitious  above  all  mankind.  He  was  both 
brave,  generous  and  bold,  and  not  without  many  excellent 
moral  virtues,  being  of  his  own  humour  inclined  to  Justice 
and  a sworn  enemy  to  all  Treason.  He  was  endued  with  a 
quick  and  penetrating  wit,  and  seemed  cut  out  for  business. 
Above  all  he  properly  excelled  in  military  discipline,  and 
was  generally  esteemed  the  fittest  to  command  an  Army, 
or  to  manage  a siege,  or  to  fortify  a town,  or  to  mark  out  a 
Camp  of  any  general  in  Japan.  He  never  used  any  other 
head  in  his  Councils  but  his  own.  For  if  he  asked  advice, 
it  was  more  to  know  their  hearts,  than  to  profit  by  their 
thoughts.  He  practised  inviolably  the  Counsel  of  those 
hypocrites  who  teach  that  one  ought  to  see  into  others,  but 
never  to  lay  himself  open ; for  the  most  refined  Politicians 
could  never  dive  into  his  counsels,  for  very  private  and 
secret  was  he  in  his  designs.  As  for  the  Worship  of  the  Gods, 
he  laughed  and  ridiculed  it,  being  thoroughly  convinced  that 
the  Bonzes  (Buddhist  priests)  were  nothing  but  Impostors, 
and  for  the  most  part  wicked  men  that  abused  the  people’s 
innocent  simplicity,  and  screened  their  own  debauches  under 
the  specious  veil  of  Religion.” 

The  battle  in  which  Nobunaga — he  was  not  present 
himself ; his  army  was  under  the  command  of  Shibata, 
one  of  his  four  great  generals,  scarcely  less  distinguished 
than  himself — defeated  the  two  ministers  who  deposed 


NOBUNAGA— THE  BUDDHIST  PERSECUTOR  169 


and  murdered  the  Shogun,  Yoshiteru,  took  place  at 
Sakai,  a few  miles  to  the  south  of  Osaka,  then  a flourish- 
ing seaport,  the  seat  of  all  the  shipping  trade  of  the 
southern  provinces  of  the  Main  Island,  now  a still  more 
flourishing  manufacturing  town,  with  large  carpet- 
weaving and  cutlery  industries.  In  the  time  of  Nobu- 
naga  Sakai  was  the  seat  of  one  of  the  most  successful 
of  the  Jesuit  missions  in  Japan.  The  Fathers  of  the 
church  there  were  actual  witnesses  of  the  battle  and 
have  left  a very  vivid  description  of  it,  which,  as  it  is 
the  first  described  by  Europeans,  long  though  it  is,  is 
worthy  of  being  quoted  in  full — 

“After  the  truce  was  expired,  the  two  Armies  marched  out 
of  the  Camps,  and  drew  up  in  line  of  battle.  Yoshitsugu 
commanded  the  right,  and  Hisahide  the  left.  Both  of  them 
marched  through  the  ranks  exhorting  their  men  to  signalize 
themselves  this  day,  on  which  depended  an  Empire.  They 
represented  to  them  that  Shibata  had  only  a handful  of  raw 
and  inexperienced  men,  that  Nobunaga,  having  the  Shogun 
in  his  power,  made  this  only  a sconce  for  his  ambition, 
being  certainly  resolved  to  put  him  to  death  and  seize  on 
his  estates,  by  the  ruin  of  those  that  now  stood  between  him 
and  Conquest ; that  being  a most  bloody  and  ambitious 
tyrant,  no  quarter  was  to  be  expected,  and  so  they  must 
either  conquer  or  die. 

“ Shibata,  being  a great  captain,  drew  up  his  army  into  two 
lines  and  animated  his  men  to  revenge  the  death  of  their 
master,1  the  best  of  Princes,  whom  these  two  barbarous  and 
unnatural  rebels  had  assassinated,  because  he  had  no  more 
favours  to  bestow  on  them  besides  the  Crown  itself,  which 
they  resolved  to  purchase  with  the  price  of  his  blood.  That 
the  same  was  intended  against  Yoshiaki,  his  brother  and 
only  heir  to  the  Crown,  to  divide  the  Empire  of  Japan 
amongst  themselves,  that  this  young  Prince’s  fortune 
depended  on  their  valour ; that  if  they  gained  the  battle  there 
was  no  favour  which  they  might  not  expect  from  him,  seeing 
that  he  would  stand  indebted  to  them  for  both  his  Crown 
and  Life. 

“ Shibata,  seeing  his  men  resolute  and  determined,  marched 


1 Yoshiteru. 


170 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


straight  against  the  enemy,  who  was  also  well  advanced  to 
receive  him.  The  shock  was  very  rude  and  bloody,  and 
the  victory  for  a long  time  seemed  doubtful,  for  the  two 
rebels,  seeing  life  and  death  depended  on  the  action,  played 
the  parts  of  great  Captains  and  soldiers.  Shibata,  on  his 
part,  flew  on  every  side  to  give  necessary  orders,  and  though 
his  Army  in  number  proved  far  inferior  to  the  Enemy,  yet 
they  far  surpassed  them  in  valour  and  courage. 

“The  victory,  being  very  dubious  for  some  time  and 
Shibata’s  men  beginning  to  give  way,  he  marched  up  with 
a body  of  reserve,  and  fell  upon  Yoshitsugu’s  right  wing 
with  such  resolution  that  he  broke  through  the  Cavalry  and 
put  the  Infantry  into  an  absolute  rout. 

“ The  two  rebels,  seeing  their  men  upon  the  flight,  followed 
sword  in  hand  and  forced  them  to  wheel  about.  The  Cavalry 
also  rallying  again,  returned  to  the  charge,  and  the  combat 
was  immediately  revived.  Shame  and  confusion  for  the  late 
disgrace  spurred  on  the  rebels  to  repair  their  honour.  The 
others,  on  the  contrary,  puffed  up  with  the  late  success, 
looked  upon  them  as  already  conquered.  In  effect,  after  a 
slight  skirmish  they  took  to  their  heels,  and  the  vanguard, 
falling  upon  the  rear,  put  all  to  confusion.  It  was  then 
nothing  else  but  a downright  butchery  and  slaughter;  and 
as  Shibata  aimed  principally  at  the  two  Rebel  commanders, 
he  followed  close  and  charged  in  the  rear ; but  they,  by 
the  help  of  good  horses,  saved  themselves  in  the  woods 
and  thence  retreated  into  their  forts. 

“ Most  of  their  troops  cried  out  for  quarter,  and  went  over 
to  Shibata;  the  rest  were  all  put  to  the  sword.” 

Both  armies  included  in  their  ranks  many  Christians, 
the  battle  took  place  on  Christmas  Day,  and  a touching 
story  is  told  by  one  of  the  Fathers  of  the  way  in  which 
the  eve  was  celebrated.  The  head  of  the  church  invited 
the  faithful  on  both  sides,  as  the  two  armies,  preparatory 
to  the  battle,  lay  in  front  of  each  other  near  Sakai,  to 
attend  the  church  and  assist  in  the  celebration  of  the 
High  Mass  on  Christmas  Eve,  which  is  a solemn  func- 
tion in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  The  Christian 
officers  and  soldiers  of  both  sides,  who,  on  the  morrow, 
were  to  engage  in  deadly  combat,  came  to  the  Mass 
together  as  brethren,  prepared  for  and  partook  of  the 
Holy  Sacrament,  and  before  they  parted  to  return  to 


NOBUN  AG  A— THE  BUDDHIST  PERSECUTOR  171 


their  camps,  “to  show  that  they  had  all  one  heart,”  they 
brought  dishes  of  fruit  and  ate  them  together  at  the 
Fathers’  table. 

Established  at  Kioto,  with  the  Emperor  in  his  power, 
Nobunaga  was  able  to  pursue  the  conquest  of  the  rest 
of  the  Empire,  not  as  an  adventurer  seeking  rank  and 
wealth  and  glory  for  himself  and  his  followers,  but  as 
the  accredited  minister  and  general  of  the  only  legitimate 
sovereign,  aiming  in  the  Sovereign’s  name  to  restore 
the  centralized  Government  and  to  secure  the  ultimate 
unification  and  peace  of  the  Empire  now  split  up  into 
numerous  petty  kingdoms,  all  professing  to  recognize 
the  overlordship  of  the  Emperor,  but  all  disdaining  to 
acknowledge  his  authority  as  exercised  in  his  name  and 
for  him  by  his  ministers;  all,  in  fact,  claiming  the 
most  complete  executive  independence  in  both  the 
domestic  and  external  affairs  of  their  fiefs.  Success 
followed  him  everywhere.  It  is  not  necessary  to  re- 
count the  successive  victories  achieved  by  himself  or  his 
generals,  or  how  in  detail  he  subdued  all  the  great  feudal 
-chiefs  in  the  north  and  centre  of  the  Main  Island,  and 
we  must  be  content  in  saying  that  before  his  death  more 
than  half  of  the  whole  Empire  acknowledged  his 
authority  and  was  in  his  power.  He  increased  his  own 
domains  so  that  he  became  the  most  powerful  feudal 
prince  in  the  Empire,  his  fiefs  comprising  many  of  the 
richest  provinces,  and  he  rewarded  the  generals  who 
served  him  well  with  the  forfeited  estates  of  his  beaten 
foes,  so  as  to  make  them  only  less  powerful  chiefs  than 
himself.  With  all  his  wealth,  power  and  influence,  he 
never  solicited  from  the  Emperor  nor  assumed  himself 
the  title  of  “Tai  Shogun,”  so  that  he  continued  to  be 
only  the  nominal  equal  in  rank  of  other  great  feudal 
princes  and  therefore  gave  to  those  who  did  not  oppose 
him  no  reason  for  either  jealousy  or  suspicion  that  he 
aimed  at  the  tyrannical  dictatorship  of  Yoritomo. 

One  of  his  campaigns — it  might  rather  be  called  a 


172 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


crusade — has  to  be  made  an  exception  to  our  intention 
of  not  entering  into  the  military  details  of  his  life  sub- 
sequent to  the  battle  of  Sakai. 

The  great  power  of  the  Buddhist  priesthood,  the 
fortresses  which  they  held  under  the  guise  of  temples, 
the  military  strength  which  they  maintained  in  their 
service  have  been  already  indicated.  The  contempt  in 
wdiich  Nobunaga  held  the  Buddhist  religion  and  priests 
is  shown  in  his  portrait  by  the  Jesuit  Fathers.  The 
priests  cordially  returned  his  hatred,  sided  with  his 
enemies  wherever  they  could,  and  thwarted  his  plans 
with  all  the  religious  influence  they  could  bring  to  bear, 
which  among  a people,  deeply  impressed  with  the  truths 
of  the  gospel  of  Buddhism,  who  could  take  no  serious 
steps  without  the  priestly  blessing,  was  naturally  large. 
Nobunaga  showed  his  contempt  for  Buddhism  in  a 
manner  that  w^as  both  spiteful  and  petty,  not  at  all  in 
keeping  with  the  general  greatness  and  magnanimity 
of  his  character.  When  he  became  master  of  Kioto  in 
1565  and  was  building  a palace  for  his  own  occupa- 
tion, he  not  only  pulled  down  monasteries  to  make  room 
for  it,  but  used  as  building  materials  the  stone  idols 
and  the  wainscoting  of  temples  that  he  spared  from 
total  destruction,  and  he  made  the  unhappy  priests  of 
Kioto  and  its  suburbs  drag  their  own  sacred  images 
with  ropes  through  the  streets  to  the  site,  where  they 
saw  them  ruthlessly  broken  and  fitted  to  the  walls  and 
rooms  of  the  new  palace.  It  may  be  easily  imagined 
how  this  wanton  desecration  and  outrage  on  the  holiest 
sentiments  of  the  best  of  the  priests  intensified  the 
hatred  which  they  already  bore  to  him  and  made  them 
more  than  ever  his  implacable  foes.  Apart  from  Nobu- 
naga’s  own  personal  feelings,  he  had  ample  grounds 
which  would  have  justified  any  statesman,  which  would 
have  indeed  even  compelled  a statesman  honestly 
desirous  to  ensure  the  peace  and  orderly  government 
of  his  country,  to  break  the  power  of  the  priests,  even 


NOBUNAGA— THE  BUDDHIST  PERSECUTOR  173 


though  he  himself  was  a conscientious  member  of  their 
Church. 

The  great  monasteries  and  fortress  of  Mount  Hiyei, 
the  greatest  in  the  country,  have  already  been  men- 
tioned. The  priests  and  their  men-at-arms  there  were  a 
terror  to  Kioto  at  all  times  in  which  it  was  not  under 
the  direct  protection  of  a great  and  powerful  military 
leader.  Not  only  were  they  wont  to  sweep  down  and 
levy  requisitions  on  the  city,  but,  commanding  as  they 
did  the  high  road  which  led  from  it  to  the  north  and 
east,  they  could  at  any  moment  cut  off  all  its  land  com- 
munications. In  the  rising  town  of  Osaka  there  was 
another  great  fortress  monastery,  which  commanded  the 
whole  town,  and  was  the  refuge  of  Nobunaga’s  enemies 
from  every  part  of  the  Empire.  There  his  beaten  foes 
could  interchange  their  sentiments  of  hatred  with  the 
priests,  and  both  vow  together  to  give  their  lives  and 
influence  to  vengeance  on  the  tyrant  and  infidel  who 
was  the  author  of  their  own  and  their  Church’s  wrongs. 
The  political  and  military  power  of  the  priests,  both 
materially  great,  was  intensified  by  their  religious  in- 
fluence and  their  own  sacred  character,  which  often 
saved  them  from  the  penalties  that  were  exacted  without 
mercy  or  scruple  from  men-at-arms  of  the  ordinary 
laity.  All  combined  to  render  the  priesthood  an  im- 
portant political  factor,  a serious  menace  to  the  peaceful 
government  of  the  state.  Nobunaga  determined  to  end 
it  for  ever. 

After  the  battle  of  Sakai  the  lives  of  Yoshitsugu  and 
Hisahide  were  spared,  but  they  were  reduced  to  poverty 
and  obscurity  by  the  confiscation  of  their  estates,  money 
and  offices.  Nobunaga  misjudged  their  influence  and 
character.  They  were  again  able  to  raise  an  army  and 
attack  him,  but  were  again  defeated.  This  time  they 
fled  to  the  monks  of  Hiyei,  by  whom  they  were  wel- 
comed and  sheltered.  Nobunaga  had  now  the  oppor- 
tunity for  which  he  longed.  He  called  his  generals 


174 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


together  and  announced  to  them  his  intention  of  destroy- 
ing the  Hiyei  monasteries  and  all  they  sheltered.  At 
first  his  generals  were  horrified  at  what  they  considered 
sacrilege — the  destruction  of  a national  religious  founda- 
tion which  had  existed  over  800  years ; but  they  could 
not  long  withstand  one  who  had  been  their  master  and 
guide  through  all  their  lives.  The  mountain  was  sud- 
denly invested  on  all  sides  with  an  immense  army,  so 
closely  that  not  a soul  could  pass  from  it. 

“The  Bonzes,  much  surprised,  endeavoured  to  appease  him 
by  a great  sum  of  money.  Nobunaga  sent  back  word  to 
defend  themselves,  for  he  valued  neither  their  money  nor 
their  wealth.  Then  they  laid  before  him  the  sanctity  of  the 
place,  alleging  it  most  unlawful  of  him  to  come  thither  in 
hostile  manner,  without  evidently  incurring  the  anger  of  the 
Gods.  The  Gods  (replied  Nobunaga)  will  defend  you  if  you 
prove  their  friends ; if  you  are  not,  I am  come  to  revenge 
their  quarrel.  Seeing  neither  remonstrances  nor  promises 
took  effect,  they  interposed  the  authority  and  interest  of  the 
Kubo  and  Dairi,1  but  Nobunaga  would  hearken  to  no 
accommodation ; on  the  contrary,  he  burnt  Sakamoto  with 
two  other  villages  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  and  by 
favour  of  the  smoke  his  men  climbed  up  the  rocks,  entered 
the  fortress,  and  put  all  to  fire  and  sword.  They  made  a 
horrible  slaughter  of  these  false  priests.  Some,  indeed, 
precipitated  themselves  from  the  rocks,  others  took  sanc- 
tuary in  their  temples,  and  others  hid  themselves  in  grottos 
and  caves;  but  Nobunaga  had  concerted  his  business  so  well 
that  not  one  of  them  escaped.  He  set  fire  to  the  Temple 
of  the  God  Kwannon,  which  had  cost  immensely,  and  burnt 
all  the  other  Temples  and  Monasteries ; in  a word,  he  put  his 
men  into  every  hole  and  cave,  as  if  he  had  been  in  chase  of 
some  wild  beasts,  and  there  butchered  these  miserable 
wretches.  Thus  God  punished  these  enemies  of  his  glory 
on  St.  Michael’s  Day  in  the  year  1571.” 

Mount  Hiyei  being  thus  destroyed,  the  great  fortress 
of  Osaka  had  next  to  be  dealt  with.  Here  there  could 

1 Kubo  and  Dairi  were  the  terms  most  frequently  used  by  the 
Fathers  to  describe  the  Shogun  and  the  Emperor.  The  political  in- 
significance into  which  the  latter  had  fallen  is  shown  by  the  fact  of 
placing  his  title  after  that  of  his  vassal,  the  Shogun. 


NOBUNAGA— THE  BUDDHIST  PERSECUTOR  175 


be  no  surprise.  The  warrior  priests  knew  that  the  fate 
of  their  brethren  of  Hiyei  threatened  them,  and  were 
ready  to  meet  Nobunaga’s  assault  whenever  he  might 
come.  Three  times  within  four  years  he  laid  siege  to  it, 
on  each  occasion  in  vain.  Once,  when  the  garrison  was 
reduced  to  great  straits,  they  attempted  to  relieve  them- 
selves of  the  burthen  of  supporting  the  old  men,  women 
and  children,  who  were  in  the  fortress,  by  sending  them 
out  under  the  cover  of  a stormy  night.  The  wretched 
fugitives  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  besieging  army,  and 
the  garrison  was  informed  that  they  had  done  so  by 
receiving  on  the  following  morning  the  gruesome  token 
of  their  ears  which  had  been  cut  off  by  their  captors. 
Both  sides  were  in  time  wearied  and  exhausted.  A com- 
promise was  effected  by  the  terms  of  which  the  monks 
were  allowed  to  retreat  and  find  a new  home  in  Yechizen, 
and  the  castle  surrendered  to  Nobunaga.  This  was  in 
the  year  1580.  In  the  following  year  Nobunaga  deter- 
mined to  subdue  Mori,  the  Lord  of  all  the  Western 
provinces  of  the  Main  Island,  who  still  refused  to 
acknowledge  his  authority,  who  had  given  at  least  his 
sympathy  to  the  priests  in  their  struggles,  and  Hide- 
yoshi  was  entrusted  with  the  task.  Mori  was  a power- 
ful foe,  and  Nobunaga  denuded  himself  of  all  his  avail- 
able troops  and  remained  at  Kioto,  with  nothing  but  a 
small  bodyguard  for  his  own  protection,  in  order  that 
Hideyoshi,  now  the  greatest  of  his  generals,  could  take 
the  field  with  an  overwhelming  force.  One  division  of 
the  army,  the  last  to  leave  the  capital,  was  commanded 
by  Akechi  Mitsuhide,  “a  soldier  of  fortune,  valiant  and 
brave,  a perfect  courtier,”  who  was  a personal  favourite 
of  his  prince,  and  who  had  been  enfeoffed  by  him  with 
the  province  of  Tango  and  Mount  Hiyei,  the  home  of 
the  priests.  Nobunaga  had  the  most  implicit  trust  and 
confidence  in  his  loyalty;  but  he  had  bitterly,  though 
unconsciously,  offended  him  at  a carousal  in  the  palace 
in  the  presence  of  courtiers  and  soldiers.  Nobunaga, 


176 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


in  festive  humour,  took  his  head  under  his  arm  and 
beat  it  with  his  fan  as  though  playing  a drum.  The 
incident  was  probably  forgotten  by  Nobunaga  the  next 
day,  but  it  rankled  in  the  heart  of  Akechi,  who  waited 
for  an  opportunity  of  revenge.  The  opportunity  had 
now  come.  Instead  of  continuing  his  march  to  the 
West,  he  wheeled  back  on  Kioto.  At  first  he  appeased 
the  curiosity  of  his  officers  as  to  this  unexpected 
manoeuvre  by  saying  he  was  acting  under  secret  orders, 
but  he  finally  disclosed  and  won  them  over  to  his  plan 
by  the  hopes  of  plunder  and  by  calling  for  revenge  for 
the  slaughtered  priests  of  God.  A forced  night  march 
was  made  and  the  army  entered  Kioto  at  dawn.  Nobu- 
naga, who  “foolishly  imagined  himself  above  any  at- 
tempt of  fortune  which  suddenly  proved  his  ruin,”  had 
just  risen  from  his  bed  and  was  actually  washing  his 
face  when  news  was  brought  to  him  that  his  palace  was 
invested.  He  opened  the  sliding  windows  of  his  room 
and  looked  out,  to  see  the  yard  full  of  soldiers  and  to 
find  himself  the  target  for  a shower  of  arrows.  Wounded 
he  rushed  for  his  sword,  but  a crowd  of  the  traitorous 
soldiers  poured  into  the  room  and  soon  all  was  over. 
It  is  unknown  whether  he  died  by  his  own  or  by  the 
rebels’  swords,  as  the  palace  was  burnt,  but  whatever  it 
was,  he  met  a Samurai’s  death,  brave  and  unflinching 
to  the  last.  A young  page,  the  son  of  the  Lord  of  Mino, 
stood  by  him  with  his  guard  and  valiantly  defended 
him,  but  all — page  and  guard — perished  with  him.  This 
was  on  the  22nd  of  June,  1582.  Shortly  before  his 
death,  in  an  excess  of  pride,  he  proclaimed  himself  a 
God.  It  was  perhaps  only  anticipating  a divinity  which 
would  have  been  conferred  on  him  by  his  countrymen 
after  his  death,  among  whom  the  apotheosis  of  human 
heroes  has  been  a custom  from  the  dawn  of  history  to 
the  present  day ; but  for  a hero,  no  matter  how  great, 
to  arrogate  it  in  his  lifetime  is,  to  say  the  least,  unusual. 
At  Azuchi,  in  the  province  of  Omi,  on  the  shores  of 


NOBUN AGA— THE  BUDDHIST  PERSECUTOR  177 


Lake  Biwa,  he  had  already  built  a great  castle  which 
was  a storehouse  of  his  treasure.  To  the  castle  he  added 
an  equally  magnificent  temple,  the  principal  feature  in 
which  was  an  idol  of  himself,  and  he  called  upon  all  his 
countrymen  to  bow  down  and  worship  it,  promising 
wealth  and  power  to  those  who  did  so,  that  the  childless 
would  be  blessed  with  issue,  that  the  sick  would  recover 
health  and  live  to  a great  age.  Lest  these  inducements 
should  not  prove  sufficiently  attractive,  penalties,  differ- 
ent in  form  but  no  less  terrible  than  that  ordered  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  were  threatened  to  those  who  refused 
or  abstained.  The  threats — which  the  people  knew  only 
too  well  were  no  empty  formality — were  more  efficacious 
than  the  promises.  The  town  became  so  crowded  that 
the  worshippers,  nobility,  gentry  and  commoners,  had 
to  encamp  in  the  surrounding  fields  or  take  shelter  in 
boats  on  the  lake.  The  native  Christians,  of  whom 
there  were  many  in  the  town,  were  as  firm  as  the  Hebrew 
prophet.  Not  one  attended  the  ceremony,  but  either 
they  were  not  missed  among  the  huge  crowds,  or  Nobu- 
naga  was  satisfied  by  his  success  with  the  Buddhists, 
and  thought  it  politic  not  to  push  his  experiment  too 
far.  In  any  case,  none  of  the  Christians  suffered  for 
their  firmness. 

“God  who  rejects  the  proud  and  humbles  the  lofty  Cedar 
of  Lebanon  was  not  long  before  He  avenged  this  horrible 
attempt.  . . . Nobunaga  died  a little  after  he  had  taken  upon 
him  the  title  of  God,  and  had  made  himself  be  adored  by 
his  subjects.  Heaven,  in  recompense  of  his  services  done 
to  the  Church  in  ruining  the  idolatrous  Temples  and  favour- 
ing the  preachers  of  the  Gospel,  had  hitherto  blessed  him 
with  a prosperous  gale  of  fortune ; but  forgetting  him- 
self and  affecting  resemblance  with  God,  the  Omnipotent 
struck  him  in  His  fury,  and  from  Temporal  fire  precipitated 
him  into  everlasting  flames,  to  teach  men  that  there  is  only 
one  God  above  that  rules  over  Kings  and  humbles  the 
Proud.” 

N 


CHAPTER  XI 


HIDEYOSHI  AND  THE  UNIFICATION  OF  THE  EMPIRE 

Hideyoshi  was  in  command  of  the  army  in  the  cam- 
paign against  Mori,  the  Lord  of  the  Western  Provinces, 
and  was  at  the  moment  engaged  in  the  siege  of  the 
fortified  town  of  Takamatsu,  when  the  news  of  Nobu- 
naga’s  murder  reached  him.  Mori  had  already  realized 
that  the  campaign  could  only  have  one  end — his  own 
ruin, — and  had  made  overtures  for  peace.  Negotiations 
were  now  resumed,  and,  under  the  new  conditions  which 
had  arisen,  Hideyoshi  was  glad  to  accept  the  terms  that 
Nobunaga  at  the  height  of  his  power  might  have  scorned. 
An  armistice  was  promptly  arranged,  and  Hideyoshi 
hastened  back  to  Kioto,  with  a strong  division  of  his 
army,  as  fast  as  the  swiftest  galleys  could  carry  them. 
His  first  task — that  to  which  loyalty  to  the  memory  of 
his  murdered  chief  and  the  present  and  future  safety  of 
the  state  alike  urged  him — was  to  effect  the  speedy  and 
condign  punishment  of  the  traitors.  After  his  coup  at 
Kioto,  Akechi  led  his  followers  straight  to  Nobunaga’s 
palace  at  Azuchi.  It  was  taken  without  difficulty,  the 
slender  garrison  and  all  the  inmates,  men,  women  and 
children,  were  massacred,  and  all  its  treasures,  the 
accumulations  of  Nobunaga  from  fifteen  years’  spolia- 
tion, were  divided  among  the  soldiers.  “So  great  was 
the  treasure  that  the  men  received  from  ten  to  twenty 
thousand  ducats  each.”  Then  the  palace  and  town  were 
burnt  to  ashes.  “God  without  doubt  permitted  it  so  as 

178 


HIDEYOSHI  AND  UNIFICATION  OF  EMPIRE  179 


to  raze  the  very  foundations  of  that  proud  and  impious 
theatre  wherein  they  had  committed  such  abominable 
idolatry.”  By  this  time  he  had  heard  that  Hideyoshi 
was  on  his  way  back  to  Kioto,  of  the  coming  concentra- 
tion of  all  Nobunaga’s  army,  and  knew  that  he  would 
soon  have  to  fight  for  his  very  existence.  He  led  his 
men  back  to  Kioto,  hoping  to  reach  it  by  a forced  march 
and  be  there  in  possession  of  the  Emperor  before  his 
foes.  He  found  his  way  opposed  by  Takayama,  one  of 
Nobunaga’s  generals,  who  had  only  a thousand  men 
with  him,  while  Akechi’s  exceeded  eight  thousand. 
Takayama  was  a Christian — one,  as  will  be  seen  here- 
after, of  the  most  distinguished  and  faithful  converts — 
and  so  also  were  nearly  all  his  men. 

For  a moment  he  hesitated  whether  he  could  give 
battle  with  so  small  a force,  but  “confiding  in  God  and 
the  justness  of  his  cause,”  he  charged  with  all  his  men, 
who  were  determined  to  conquer  or  die,  and  broke  the 
traitor’s  vanguard,  killing  two  hundred  of  them  without 
the  loss  of  a single  man.  Reinforcements  came  up  at 
full  gallop  to  his  help  and  panic  seized  the  traitors,  and 
their  whole  army  broke  and  fled  in  the  utmost  confusion 
and  disorder.  They  were  all  killed  by  the  pursuing 
victors.  Akechi  himself,  wounded  in  the  fight,  tried  to 
hide  in  a wood,  where  he  was  found  and  killed  with 
every  incident  of  cruelty  by  a band  of  marauding 
peasants.  His  body  was  sent  to  Kioto,  where  the  head 
was  placed  on  Nobunaga’s  tomb  and  the  body  crucified. 
His  career  as  a successful  traitor  had  lasted  precisely 
twelve  days. 

Nobunaga  left  a grandson  and  two  sons,  and,  like  his 
great  predecessors,  Kiyomori  and  Yoritomo,  hoped  to 
found  a family  that  would  last  for  ever.  History  was, 
however,  now  destined  to  afford  another  instance  of 
its  frequent  repetitions  in  Japan ; and  as  Kiyomori 
and  Yoritomo  failed,  so  did  he.  It  is  unnecessary  to 

N 2 


180 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


enter  here  into  a long  series  of  political  negotiations 
that  ensued  between  Hideyoshi  and  Nobunaga’s  other 
great  generals,  and  it  will  be  sufficient  to  say  that 
Hideyoshi  in  time  succeeded  in  establishing  himself  as 
the  head  of  the  state,  first  in  the  capacity  of  guardian  to 
Nobunaga’s  grandson,  and  ultimately  in  his  own  name, 
with  even  greater  power  and  resources  at  his  back  than 
had  ever  been  at  the  disposal  of  his  predecessors.  Con- 
ciliation and  mercy  were  the  keynotes  of  his  policy,  both 
a new  departure  in  Japan,  where  hitherto  the  sword  had 
been  the  only  arbiter.  Iyeyasu,  next  to  himself  the 
greatest  of  Nobunaga’s  generals,  was  conciliated  by 
being  enfeoffed  with  the  Kuanto  Provinces.  Nobu- 
naga’s own  descendants — though  both  his  sons  tried  an 
appeal  to  arms — were  brought  to  see  that  they  had 
neither  the  strength  nor  the  ability  to  step  into  their 
father’s  shoes  as  dictator.  One  son  ended  his  life  on 
his  defeat  in  the  usual  Samurai  manner,  the  other  and 
his  grandson  were  content  to  accept  the  lordships  of 
wealthy  domains  where  they  could  live  in  comfort 
though  in  comparative  obscurity,  and  there  was  no  other 
in  the  whole  land  who  could  dare  to  raise  hand  or  voice 
against  the  man  who  had  greater  power  and  incompar- 
ably greater  genius  than  could  be  found  in  any  possible 
combination  of  the  great  feudal  lords.  There  was,  how- 
ever, one  exception,  and,  as  the  story  is,  though  a sad 
one,  a marked  illustration  of  the  spirit  of  Japan,  it  will 
be  told. 

Among  Nobunaga’s  generals  was  Shibata,  who  won 
the  battle  of  Sakai,  who  was  also  Nobunaga’s  brother- 
in-law.  He  made  his  name  and  rose  to  high  rank  and 
command  long  before  Hideyoshi,  but  was  afterwards 
passed  in  the  race,  and  had  the  mortification  of  seeing 
himself  subordinate  where  he  had  previously  been  first. 
He  was  in  command  of  the  army  at  Echizen  on  the  coast 
when  Nobunaga  died,  and  there,  in  the  strong  fortress 


HIDEYOSHI  AND  UNIFICATION  OF  EMPIRE  181 


of  Fukui,  he  ventured  to  dispute  Hideyoshi’s  authority. 
Hideyoshi  soon  closely  besieged  him  with  forty  thousand 
men.  The  garrison  held  out  till  their  provisions  and 
material  were  exhausted,  and  there  was  no  hope  of  relief 
from  any  quarter,  and  so  the  last  stern  determination 
was  taken.  The  story  is  told  by  the  Jesuit  Fathers- — 

“The  poor  gentleman,  feeling  himself  straitened  without 
any  hopes  of  relief,  resolved  rather  to  murder  himself  than 
to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  He  assembled  all  his 
friends  and  told  them  he  was  resolved  to  commit  hara-kiri, 
and  so  desired  they  would  please  burn  his  body.  As  for 
yourselves,  says  he,  agree  with  Hideyoshi  and  save  your 
lives.  They  one  and  all  then  protested  against  this  last,  and 
declared  they  would  follow  his  example.  Shibata  thanked 
them  for  their  kindness,  and  invited  them  to  a great  feast, 
which  was  made  expressly  on  this  occasion.  After  this  was 
done,  he  commanded  them  to  fill  the  hall  and  chambers  with 
faggots  and  wood  and  set  fire  to  them ; then,  drawing  his 
sword,  he  killed  both  his  wife  and  children  and  the  maids 
of  honour  with  his  own  hands,  and  the  other  gentlemen 
of  his  acquaintance  did  the  same  to  theirs.  After  that  they 
committed  hara-kiri,  and  lay  there  wallowing  in  their  blood, 
till  the  fire  kindled  and  burnt  them  to  ashes.  All,  it’s  true, 
had  not  the  same  courage,  for  some  few  forcing  their  way 
through  the  flames  made  their  escape  and  recounted  what 
had  passed.” 

Hideyoshi’s  authority  was  now  unquestioned  through- 
out the  whole  of  the  Main  Island  and  Shikoku,  and 
there  was  peace,  where  peace  had  scarcely  been  known 
for  centuries.  He  was  to  fight  two  more  great  cam- 
paigns, one  in  the  Island  of  Kiushiu  and  another  in 
Korea,  but  for  the  present  he  wras  able  and  resolved  to 
devote  himself  to  the  material  regeneration  of  the  land, 
wearied  and  exhausted  with  the  long  wars,  and  to  restore 
to  it  the  prosperity  which  its  fertility  and  the  innate 
industry  of  the  people  so  well  merited. 

Hideyoshi  is  one  of  the  greatest  characters  in  the 
history  of  Japan.  He  has  been  called  the  “Napoleon 


182 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


of  Japan,”  and  the  title  is  well  merited.  One  other  great 
character,  Iyeyasu,  was  equally  distinguished  as  a 
general  and  as  a constructive  and  administrative  states- 
man, but  his  ambition  did  not  tempt  him  to  carry  his 
military  operations  beyond  his  own  country.  Unlike 
Napoleon,  Hideyoshi  died  when  at  the  height  of  his 
glory.  Like  him,  he  rose  from  a humble  position  in 
life,  from  a far  humbler  class  than  Napoleon,  with 
nothing  to  aid  him  but  his  own  courage  and  ambition 
and  genius.  If  not  the  greatest,  he  is  certainly  the  most 
interesting  character  in  Japanese  history,  the  one  in- 
stance of  a man  who  rose  to  the  highest  dignity  of  the 
state,  next  to  that  of  the  Emperor,  from  the  very  lowest 
class  of  the  people.  It  is  common  to  speak  of  the  great 
statesmen,  Okubo,  Kido,  Ito  and  Inouye,  who,  serving 
the  Emperor  who  is  now  on  the  throne,  have,  in  our 
own  day,  raised  Japan  to  the  status  of  one  of  the  great 
Powers  of  the  world,  and  of  the  generals  and  admiral, 
Yamagata,  Oyama  and  Togo,  who  triumphed  over  all 
the  military  and  naval  strength  of  Russia,  as  self-made 
men.  But  they  were  only  self-made  men  when  their 
origin  is  compared  to  the  great  positions  to  which  they 
ultimately  attained.  All  of  them  were  of  gentle  blood, 
squires  of  a good  degree,  who  started  life  with  all  the 
advantages  that  long  descent  can  give  in  a country  that 
is  aristocratic  to  the  core  in  all  its  traditions  and  sym- 
pathies. They  are  all  self-made  men  in  the  sense  that 
Washington  was;  Hideyoshi  is  the  one  and  only  self- 
made  man  in  the  sense  of  Lincoln.  His  greatness  of 
character  was  not  inferior  to  that  either  of  the  founder 
or  of  the  saviour  of  the  Union. 

His  father  was  a peasant  labourer  in  the  Province  of 
Owari,  one  of  the  poorest  of  the  poorest  class  in  Japan, 
who  eke  out  a scanty  and  penurious  livelihood  by  unre- 
mitting toil.  He  was  not  even  a cultivator  of  the  soil, 
and  his  support  was  derived  from  woodcutting  on  the 


HIDEYOSHI  AND  UNIFICATION  OF  EMPIRE  183 


hills.  In  this  occupation  Hideyoshi  passed  his  child- 
hood, cutting  wood  on  the  hills  one  day  and  hawking 
it  in  the  streets  the  next.  From  that  he  became  a groom 
in  Nobunaga’s  service  when  Nobunaga  was  still  an 
insignificant  feudatory.  The  boy  had  not  even  the 
advantage  of  good  looks  to  recommend  him.  He  was 
short  of  stature,  awkward  and  ungainly,  with  a face  of 
apish  ugliness,  and  the  dark  complexion  that  is  universal 
among  the  field  labourers  of  Japan;  but  his  face  was 
lightened  by  eyes  of  startling  brilliancy;  “they  sent  out 
fire  in  flashes  enough  to  pass  through.”  So  comically 
ugly  was  his  appearance  that  he  was  derisively  named 
“the  Monkey”  at  the  outset  of  his  career.  His  smart- 
ness, perhaps  also  his  extraordinary  appearance,  soon 
attracted  the  attention  of  his  new  master,  and  the  master, 
one  of  whose  great  qualities  was  an  unerring  judgment 
of  men,  quickly  recognized  the  capacity  of  his  servant, 
and  from  a groom  advanced  him  to  the  dignity  and  rank 
of  a soldier.  Thenceforward  Hideyoshi’s  rise  in  the 
service  of  his  lord  was  as  rapid  as  the  lord’s  own  rise 
in  the  service  of  the  state,  and  in  1582,  when  Nobunaga 
died,  Hideyoshi,  the  poor  peasant’s  son,  at  the  age  of 
forty-six  years,  was  unquestionably  the  greatest  man  in 
the  Empire.  His  lowly  birth  was,  however,  an  obstacle 
to  obtaining  one  of  the  great  offices  of  state  from  the 
Emperor.  None  had  hitherto  been  held  by  those  that 
were  not  of  the  bluest  blood.  Hideyoshi  tried  to  remedy 
this  deficiency  by  adoption,  which,  through  all  ages, 
has  carried  with  it  in  Japan  every  privilege  and  eclat 
of  birth.  Yoshiaki,  the  last  of  the  Ashikaga  Shoguns, 
was  still  living  in  monastic  retirement,  but  he  was  now 
old,  and  his  share  in  affairs  was  over;  he  had  nothing 
to  fear  and  nothing  to  hope  for,  and  he  flatly  refused  to 
take  the  son  of  a peasant  into  the  sacred  folds  of  the 
Minamoto,  to  help  to  make  him  his  own  successor  in  the 
Shogunate.  The  still  more  illustrious  family  of  the 


184 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Fujiwara  were  poor,  with  a wide  circle  of  relatives  to 
provide  for.  Their  needs,  if  not  their  will,  consented, 
and  Hideyoshi  was  enrolled  among  the  descendants  of 
Koyane  tsu  Ame,  the  God  who  had  come  down  from 
Heaven  along  with  the  grandson  of  the  Sun  Goddess. 
Nothing  could  now  be  said  of  his  low  origin,  and  the 
office  of  Kuambaku,  which  could  only  be  held  by  a 
Fujiwara,  was  conferred  on  him,  so  that  he  had  now 
both  the  name  and  the  reality  of  power. 

His  civil  administration  was  productive  of  unqualified 
blessings  to  the  country.  Taxation  and  coinage 
were  reformed,  agriculture,  trade  and  industry  were 
encouraged,  and,  ever  mindful  of  the  miseries  and  hard- 
ships of  his  childhood,  he  protected  the  peasantry 
against  local  tyranny  and  extortion,  so  that  all  the  land 
was  soon  smiling  in  prosperity.  Kioto,  well  governed 
once  more,  was  rebuilt  and  adorned  with  temples  of 
imposing  grandeur.  Osaka  is  now,  and  has  been  for 
centuries,  the  greatest  and  wealthiest  commercial  city  of 
Japan,  the  home  of  banking  and  trading  families  whose 
names  are  household  words;  who,  in  their  own  way,  are 
as  proud  of  their  history  as  the  haughtiest  noble  of  the 
Court  or  feudalism  is  of  his  own ; who  are  as  scrupu- 
lous in  observing  the  principles  of  commercial  honour 
as  the  merchant  product  of  the  present  generation  of 
foreign  trade  in  Japan  is  the  reverse.  Osaka  owes  its 
rise  to  this  position  from  that  of  a poor  fishing  village 
to  Hideyoshi’s  judgment,  which  foresaw  all  its  material 
advantages.  He  built  a great  castle  there  on  the  site 
of  the  monastery  destroyed  by  Nobunaga,  and  round 
the  castle  a great  town  soon  grew,  and  Hideyoshi 
resolved  to  make  it  the  most  spacious  and  beautiful 
town  in  all  Japan.  “The  roof  of  his  palace  was  all  gilt, 
and  it  darted  out  so  great  a lustre  that  one  could  have 
taken  it  for  some  terrestrial  sun  that  eclipsed  in  some 
manner  the  very  light  of  the  Celestial  Sun  itself.” 


HIDEYOSHI  AND  UNIFICATION  OF  EMPIRE  185 


The  island  of  Kiushiu  was  the  last  part  of  the  Empire 
to  acknowledge  his  authority.  The  Satsuma  clan  were 
there  all-powerful,  and  had  made  themselves  masters  of 
no  less  than  eight  of  the  nine  provinces  which  together 
formed  the  island.  Satsuma  was  the  last  part  of  the 
Empire  to  acknowledge  the  government  of  the  present 
Emperor  after  the  Restoration  in  1868,  and  was  only 
forced  to  do  so  after  a long  and  bitterly  fought  cam- 
paign, the  last  of  all  the  many  civil  wars  in  Japan.  As 
it  was  in  1868,  so  it  was  three  hundred  years  before. 
Satsuma,  secure  in  his  strength,  still  more  so  perhaps 
in  his  distance  from  the  central  government,  in  the 
obstacles  that  the  natural  conditions  of  the  island  offered 
to  campaigning  on  a large  scale,  thought  he  could  bid 
defiance  to  Hideyoshi,  and  did  so  in  the  most  offensive 
manner  that  was  possible.  He  tore  Hideyoshi’s  letter, 
the  wording  of  which  was  strictly  in  keeping  with  the 
requirements  of  diplomatic  courtesy,  to  pieces,  after  an 
affectation  of  hastily  glancing  at  its  contents,  in  the 
presence  of  the  messenger  who  brought  it,  flung  the 
pieces  to  the  ground  and  trampled  on  them,  and  then 
told  the  messenger  that  was  the  only  answer  for  him 
to  take  back  to  his  upstart  master.  This  was  in  the 
year  1586.  Satsuma  had  at  this  time  an  army  of  seventy 
thousand  men  ready  for  immediate  service.  The  island 
of  Kiushiu  was  its  own  ground,  in  which  it  was  accus- 
tomed to  fight  and  conquer,  in  which  for  a generation 
it  had  not  known  a single  reverse,  with  every  hill  and 
dale  of  which  its  officers  were  familiar.  To  Hideyoshi, 
on  the  other  hand,  Kiushiu  was  little  better  than  terra 
incognita.  It  was  far  from  his  base,  and  an  invading 
force  would  have  to  be  transported  a great  distance  both 
by  sea  and  land.  To  ensure  success,  the  invading  army, 
which  would  be  called  upon  to  fight  every  foot  of  its 
way  and  to  attack  veteran  soldiers  securely  entrenched 
on  steep  and  narrow  mountain  passes,  and  on  the  moun- 


186 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


tain  slopes  that  commanded  the  main  roads,  must  largely 
outnumber  the  defenders.  He  therefore  fully  recognized 
the  magnitude  of  the  task  that  was  before  him.  He 
had,  however,  all  the  resources  and  men  of  the  Main 
Island  at  his  disposal.  Mori,  the  Lord  of  the  Western 
Provinces,  the  most  powerful  feudatory  of  the  Empire 
next  to  Satsuma,  except  Satsuma,  the  last  to  recognize 
Hideyoshi,  was  now  his  cordial  ally,  and  to  him  was 
assigned  the  van  of  the  invaders.  Hideyoshi  did 
nothing  hurriedly,  left  nothing  unprovided  for,  and  in 
all  his  efforts  gave  a marked  forecast  of  the  exhaustive 
organization  which  the  modern  generation  of  his 
countrymen  showed  before  they  staked  their  national 
existence  in  the  war  with  Russia.  While  collecting 
men,  arms  and  material,  he  sent  a small  army  of  spies 
through  Kiushiu,  and  their  reports  enlightened  the 
topographical  darkness  which  was  one  of  his  most  for- 
midable difficulties.  It  was  in  summer  that  his  message 
was  flouted  by  Satsuma.  By  the  end  of  the  year,  Hide- 
yoshi had  an  army  of  a hundred  and  fifty  thousand  men 
concentrated  at  Osaka.  Mori  was  ready  to  join  him 
with  thirty  thousand  more,  and  every  necessary  step  had 
been  taken  to  provide  for  the  transport  of  the  great  force 
to  the  seat  of  war  and  for  its  provisioning  when  it 
arrived  there.  Nothing  that  human  experience  and  fore- 
sight could  suggest  was  overlooked  or  forgotten.  At 
this  time  the  Japanese  had  become  acquainted  with  fire- 
arms. Soldiers  still  relied  on  their  swords  and  spears 
at  close  quarters,  but  the  bow  had  been  discarded  in 
favour  of  the  matchlock. 

Our  limits  do  not  admit  a description  of  the  details 
of  the  campaign  which  was  carried  through  under 
Hideyoshi’s  own  personal  command.  The  Satsuma  men 
fought  with  the  same  heroic  courage  that  they  did  under 
the  command  of  the  great  Saigo  in  1877,  and  man  for 
man  they  proved  themselves  better  swordsmen,  more 


HIDEYOSHI  AND  UNIFICATION  OF  EMPIRE  187 


unflinching-  warriors  than  their  invaders.  Many  tales 
of  heroic  valour  and  self-sacrifice  are  told.  On  one  occa- 
sion three  officers,  each  with  a handful  of  men,  covered 
the  retreat  of  the  whole  Satsuma  army  and  saved  it  from 
annihilation,  but  all — both  officers  and  men — fell  to  the 
last  man.  Valour,  however,  failed,  as  it  must  in  the 
end  always  do,  against  overwhelming  numbers  handled 
by  supreme  genius,  and  Hideyoshi’s  march  from  Kokura 
on  the  Shimonoseki  Straits,  across  the  unknown  country, 
right  to  the  walls  of  the  fortified  Satsuma  capital,  was 
a continued  series  of  unbroken  successes  in  battles, 
sieges,  skirmishes,  and  marches.  At  last  he  crossed 
the  steep  mountain  frontier  of  the  Province  of  Satsuma 
in  the  remote  south  of  the  island,  and  the  clan,  for  the 
first  time  in  their  history,  found  their  own  territory 
invaded,  their  capital  on  the  point  of  having  to  undergo 
a siege  which  could  only  have  one  end ; and  when  that 
end  came  it  involved,  according  to  all  Japanese  tradition 
and  custom,  the  deaths  of  every  one  who  had  taken  part 
in  the  defence,  from  the  Lord  of  the  Clan  and  all  his 
family  down  to  the  lowest  soldier,  and  the  confiscation, 
for  the  benefit  of  the  invaders,  of  all  the  land  and 
property — in  fact,  the  extermination  of  Satsuma  as  a 
clan. 

It  was  now  that  Hideyoshi  once  more  showed  his 
genius  and  courage  as  a statesman.  Satsuma  would 
have  met  with  no  mercy  from  Nobunaga,  not  to  mention 
the  great  leaders  of  the  past.  They  would  have  exacted 
the  bitter  penalty  to  the  last  fraction.  The  memory 
of  the  insulting  reception  of  his  messenger,  the  scorn 
flung  at  his  own  origin,  galling  in  his  most  tender 
point,  might  well  have  embittered  Hideyoshi  and 
tempted  him  to  say  vae  victis.  What  he  actually  did 
was  to  proclaim  that  he  had  come  to  Kiushiu  by  the 
Emperor’s  orders  only  to  establish  peace  and  secure  the 
tranquil  administration  of  that  part  of  his  Majesty’s 


188 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


dominions  under  the  control  of  the  unified  government 
at  Kioto.  The  ruin  of  an  ancient  house  was  no  part  of 
his  plan,  still  less  the  extermination  of  those  who  should 
be  his  Majesty’s  faithful  subjects.  Treachery  to  friends 
is  common  enough  in  Japanese  history.  Satsuma  suffered 
bitterly  from  it  in  this  campaign.  Thousands  of 
Samurai  throughout  the  whole  of  Kiushiu,  not  belonging 
to  the  clan,  had  eagerly  enlisted  in  his  army  when 
Satsuma  was  all-powerful  and  master  of  the  island.  The 
lords  of  petty  fiefs  had  become  his  allies.  Samurai  and 
petty  chiefs  both  deserted  with  equal  eagerness  when  it 
became  evident  that  Hideyoshi’s  march  would  be  a 
triumphal  progress,  and  fought  against  their  old  com- 
rades. Treachery  to  foes  was  not  only  common,  but  was 
recognized  as  an  integral  part  of  justifiable  policy  in 
war.  Satsuma  might  well,  therefore,  have  hesitated 
to  accept  any  overtures  coming  from  a general  in  the 
moment  of  his  triumph  when  his  beaten  foes  were 
already  at  his  mercy,  and  only  the  coup  de  grace  had  to 
be  given.  But  Hideyoshi’s  record  was  that  of  mercy  to 
his  beaten  foes,  of  not  pushing  his  victories  to  the  very 
last  extremity,  and  that  record  served  him  in  good  stead 
now.  The  clan  submitted.  They  lost  the  provinces 
which  they  had  acquired  by  force,  they  were  compelled 
to  recognize  and  submit  to  the  Imperial  Government  at 
Kioto,  where  the  chief  remained  as  a hostage  for  the 
good  behaviour  of  the  clan,  but  they  were  left  with 
territory  which  made  them  still  the  most  powerful 
feudatories  in  Kiushiu. 

All  Japan  was  now  at  Hideyoshi’s  feet.  He  ruled  as 
the  national  constitution  required,  in  the  name  of  the 
shadowy  Emperor  who  dallied  with  poetry  and  music 
in  his  palace  at  Kioto,  but  his  rule  was  universally  recog- 
nized. Still  his  ambition  made  him  long  for  further 
conquests.  His  own  country  offered  no  further  military 
scope  for  him.  He  determined  to  make  his  glory  shine 


HIDEYOSHI  AND  UNIFICATION  OF  EMPIRE  189 


beyond  the  seas,  to  found  for  himself  as  great  a position 
in  the  national  Pantheon  as  that  of  Hachiman,  the  God 
of  War,  and  as  the  means  to  that  end  he  contemplated 
the  conquest  of  the  great  Empire  of  China  as  an  initial 
step  in  bringing  the  whole  world  beneath  him.  The 
way  to  China  was  through  Korea. 

The  story  of  the  Empress  Jingo’s  invasion  of  Korea 
has  been  told,  as  has  also  that  of  Japan’s  civilization  and 
religious  reformation  which  she  owed  entirely  to  what 
she  learned  from  Korea.  The  limits  of  the  present 
volume,  however,  prevent  more  than  the  incidental 
mention  of  the  intercourse  that  was  carried  on  between 
the  two  countries  throughout  the  centuries  that  succeeded 
Jingo’s  invasion  or  of  Japan’s  continued  interference  as 
a suzerain  in  the  domestic  affairs  of  Korea,  of  the  part 
she  played  in  the  war  between  the  three  rival  kingdoms 
into  which  the  country  was  originally  divided.  Korea 
promised,  as  one  of  the  conditions  of  peace  extorted  by 
Jingo,  that  she  should  pay  tribute  to  Japan,  and  for 
many  centuries  this  promise  was  faithfully  kept.  In  the 
fourteenth  century,  Korea  was  unified  into  one  state 
under  the  influence  and  protection  of  China.  From 
that  time  she  regarded  China  as  her  suzerain,  and  the 
payment  of  tribute  to  Japan  ceased.  Japan  was  then 
and  for  two  centuries  afterwards  too  much  absorbed  in 
her  own  domestic  wars  and  miseries  to  have  any  thought 
for  countries  beyond  the  sea,  but  Hideyoshi  from  an 
early  part  of  his  career,  long  before  he  could  have  fore- 
seen his  own  ultimate  greatness  in  anything  but  the 
wildest  intoxication  of  ambition,  had  Korea  in  his 
mind’s  eye,  and  one  of  his  first  acts  after  Nobunaga’s 
death,  when  his  own  future  was  still  in  the  balance,  was 
to  make  a demand  on  Korea  for  a renewal  of  her  tribute- 
bearing embassies.  It  was  not  till  1590 — eight  years 
later — that  Korea  at  last  complied,  and  an  embassy  of 
becoming  dignity  was  sent.  Its  reception  by  Hideyoshi 


190 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


was  characteristic  of  the  man.  He  kept  the  ambassador 
waiting  many  months  for  an  audience,  then  gave  the 
audience  with  as  little  courtesy  as  though  it  was  that 
of  a sovereign  condescending  to  receive  an  inferior,  him- 
self sitting  in  state  throughout  it  in  the  midst  of  a large 
retinue  of  officers  in  state  dress.  Leaving  the  ambas- 
sador and  his  suite  and  his  own  officers  still  waiting,  he 
withdrew  without  a word  from  the  audience  hall.  In  a 
few  moments  he  reappeared,  in  deshabille,  carrying  his 
infant  child  in  his  arms,  and,  still  carrying  the  child, 
strolled  unconcernedly  among  the  assembly ; and  the 
grotesqueness  of  the  whole  scene  was  intensified  when 
the  child,  before  grand  officers  of  state  and  ambassadors, 
soiled  its  great  nurse’s  clothes  in  a fashion  that  is  ordi- 
nary with  childhood.  The  indignation  of  the  ambas- 
sador, a slave  to  the  most  rigid  ceremonial,  was  not 
lessened  when  he  learned  that  Hideyoshi  was  not  the 
legitimate  sovereign,  but  merely  the  Kuambaku,  the 
chief  Minister  of  State,  and  an  upstart  at  that,  and  when 
at  last,  after  more  weary  waiting,  Hideyoshi’s  written 
reply  to  his  own  royal  master  was  received  by  him, 
his  cup  was  full.  The  letter  in  its  concluding  sentences 
said — 

“ I will  assemble  a mighty  host,  and  invading  the  country 
of  the  great  Ming,  I will  fill  with  the  hoar  frost  from  my 
sword  the  whole  sky  over  the  four  hundred  provinces.  Should 
I carry  out  this  purpose,  I hope  that  Korea  will  be  my 
vanguard.  Let  her  not  fail  to  do  so,  for  my  friendship  with 
your  honourable  country  depends  solely  on  your  conduct 
when  I lead  my  army  against  China.” 

The  Koreans  returned  to  their  own  country  convinced 
that  Hideyoshi  meant  war,  and  they  did  not  contribute 
to  soften  his  menaces  when,  in  a later  letter,  they  told 
him  that  his  project  of  attacking  China  was  like  an 
“attempt  to  measure  the  ocean  with  a cockle-shell,  or 
of  a bee  to  sting  a tortoise  through  its  shell.”  The 


HIDEYOSHI  AND  UNIFICATION  OF  EMPIRE  191 


Jesuit  Fathers  in  Japan,  though  they  had  witnessed  his 
meteoric  rise  and  his  unbroken  triumphs  in  his  own 
country,  thought  little  better  of  his  project  than  did  the 
Korean  ambassador.  “ It  was  a temerarious  enterprise  if 
ever  there  was  any,  Japan  being  hardly  one  handful  of 
earth  in  respect  to  the  vast  Empire  of  China.” 

The  Kiushiu  campaign  had  taught  Hideyoshi  what 
was  necessary  for  a campaign  far  from  the  main  base, 
and  all  that  he  had  learned  was  now  put  to  the  best  use. 
A powerful  army  was  concentrated  at  Karatsu,  a port 
on  the  north-western  shore  of  Kiushiu,  now  the  seat 
of  a great  coal  industry,  and  ships  gathered  to  transport 
it  across  the  seas,  and  by  the  month  of  June  1592,  one 
hundred  and  thirty  thousand  men,  well  found  in  every 
requisite,  the  majority  veteran  soldiers,  were  landed  in 
Southern  Korea,  and  these  were  soon  followed  by  thirty 
thousand  more.  Hideyoshi’s  ambition  was  to  head  his 
own  army,  and  to  provide  for  the  administration  of  the 
Empire  in  his  absence,  he  abdicated  the  office  of 
Kuambaku,  and  caused  the  Emperor  to  bestow  it  on  his 
nephew,  Hideyoshi  himself  assuming  the  title,  by  which 
he  is  best  known  in  history,  of  Taiko.  At  the  last 
moment  his  health  forced  him  to  abandon  his  idea.  He 
was  now  fifty-six  years  of  age,  and,  hard-fighting  soldier 
though  he  was,  he  had  not  led  a life  of  continency  and 
abstinence.  The  command  of  the  first  army  was  given  to 
Konishi  Yukinaga,  a Christian,  as  were  also  many  of 
his  men,  and  of  the  second  to  Kato  Kiyomasa,  who 
hated  Christians  with  a bitter  hatred.  Both  were 
generals  of  long-tried  experience,  both  were  men  whom 
Hideyoshi  had  raised  from  low  degree,  Yukinaga  the 
son  of  a druggist,  and  Kiyomasa  of  a blacksmith. 

The  Koreans  had  only  one  advantage  over  the 
Japanese — their  ships  were  larger  and  stronger.  Once 
the  passage  of  the  sea  was  secured,  all  was  easy  to  the 
Japanese.  The  Koreans  had  enjoyed  peace  for  centuries, 


192 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


and  were  therefore  destitute  of  military  experience.  The 
Japanese  had  firearms  and  were  now  skilled  in  their 
use ; the  Koreans  only  had  bows  and  arrows.  All  Korea 
was  open,  and  as  there  were  no  fortresses,  there  were 
neither  artificial  nor  natural  difficulties  to  confront  the 
invaders,  while  the  country,  richly  cultivated,  furnished 
abundant  supplies  for  the  necessaries  of  life.  Under 
such  circumstances,  Yukinaga  had  an  easy  task.  The 
ill-armed  and  worse-drilled  Koreans  made  vain  efforts 
to  stop  his  progress.  On  each  occasion  they  were 
defeated  with  great  loss,  and  in  twenty-five  days  from 
their  landing  at  Fusan,  the  invaders  were  in  the  capital, 
Seoul,  and  the  Korean  King  and  his  Court  had  fled  to 
the  northern  frontier,  enduring  pitiable  privations  on  the 
way.  The  Japanese  then  extended  their  conquest  to  the 
town  of  Ping  Shang.  China  was  Korea’s  suzerain, 
bound  to  protect  her  in  case  of  need,  and  she  now  began 
to  recognize  her  obligations.  An  army  of  five  thousand 
men  was  sent  to  Korea  and  an  endeavour  made  to  retake 
Ping  Shang,  but  it  was  defeated,  and  the  Chinese  sur- 
vivors of  the  battle,  panic-struck,  never  drew  bridle  in 
their  retreat  until  they  were  over  the  border  of  their 
own  country  again.  Then  a turn  of  the  tide  took  place. 
The  Koreans,  notwithstanding  their  superiority  in  ships, 
at  first  made  no  attempt  to  try  their  fortune  on  the  sea. 
They  now  got  their  fleet  together  and  appeared  off  a 
harbour  a little  to  the  west  of  Fusan,  in  which  that  of 
Japan  lay  at  anchor.  By  feigning  a retreat,  they  in- 
duced the  Japanese  to  follow  them  on  to  the  open  sea. 
There,  the  Koreans  turned  on  their  pursuers  and  totally 
defeated  them,  sinking  many  of  their  ships,  and  driving 
the  rest  back  to  their  harbour  in  utter  confusion.  The 
action  had  many  important  results.  It  encouraged  the 
Koreans,  who  till  then  had  only  known  defeat,  to  take 
heart  again.  Everywhere  the  beaten  soldiers  sub- 
jected the  Japanese  to  a harassing  guerilla  warfare. 


HIDEYOSHI  AND  UNIFICATION  OF  EMPIRE  193 


They  laid  waste  their  own  country  round  the  Japanese 
camps  so  that  the  latter  could  get  no  supplies,  and  being 
now  masters  of  the  sea,  they  were  able  to  cut  off  all  rein- 
forcements from  Japan,  whether  of  men  or  provisions. 
In  the  winter  Yukinaga  was  reduced  to  the  utmost 
straits.  The  winter  in  Korea  is  incomparably  more 
severe  than  that  of  East  or  South  Japan,  from  which  the 
Japanese  troops  in  Korea  were  exclusively  drawn,  and 
only  the  best  and  most  careful  provision  of  food  and 
clothing  would  have  enabled  them  to  endure  it  under 
any  circumstances.  As  it  was,  they  were  destitute  of 
everything,  and  suffered  to  the  utmost  all  the  worst 
privations  of  cold  and  hunger.  And  when  everything 
was  at  its  worst,  when  naked  and  starving  men  were 
shivering  in  the  bitter  cold  of  February,  they  suddenly 
heard  that  a great  Chinese  army  was  on  them.  Resist- 
ance was  useless,  and  the  Japanese  were  only  too  glad 
to  make  a hasty  retreat  to  the  capital. 

Kiyomasa’s  army  had,  while  Yukinaga  was  in  the 
bloom  of  his  first  successes  at  Ping  Shang,  overrun  the 
north-east  part  of  Korea.  It  now  followed  his  retreat, 
and  both  armies  met  and  concentrated  at  Seoul.  Here 
they  beat  off  a second  attack  by  the  Chinese,  but  at 
terrible  loss  to  themselves,  and  it  was  only  their  superior 
skill  in  swordsmanship  that  gave  them  the  victory. 
“The  enemy  fell  on  them  like  lions,  but  the  Japanese, 
who  knew  that  they  must  either  conquer  or  die,  fought 
with  desperation.”  Neither  side  was  keen  for  another 
trial,  and  the  Japanese  were  glad  to  enter  into  an  armi- 
stice by  which  they  were  permitted  to  continue  their 
retreat  to  Fusan,  the  harbour  on  the  coast  where  they 
had  first  landed  a year  before.  Here  they  were  in  milder 
climatic  conditions,  and  were  able  to  entrench  them- 
selves. Yukinaga,  being  a Christian,  endeavoured  to 
conduct  the  war  with  the  mercy  of  Christian  soldiers. 
Kiyomasa’s  methods  still  partook  of  ancient  savagery, 
o 


194 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Fearing  an  outbreak  of  the  Koreans  within  the  city  when 
the  attack  of  the  Chinese  on  Seoul  took  place,  he 
massacred  all  the  full-grown  men,  and,  on  the  evacua- 
tion, set  fire  to  and  destroyed  what  remained  of  the 
town.  The  condition  of  the  unhappy  Koreans  was  de- 
plorable. The  army  of  their  rescuing  allies  had  to  be 
supported  as  well  as  that  of  their  invading  foes.  Both 
exhausted  all  available  supplies,  and  the  people  died 
from  starvation  in  thousands. 

One  of  the  terms  of  the  armistice  was  that  China  and 
Korea  should  send  a joint  embassy  to  Japan  to  treat  for 
peace.  The  promise  was  kept,  and  the  embassy  arrived 
in  Japan  in  the  summer  of  1593,  where  it  was  well  re- 
ceived by  Hideyoshi,  but  no  permanent  Treaty  of  Peace 
was  concluded;  and  while  the  embassy  was  actually 
in  Japan,  the  Japanese  army  was  still  in  Korea,  and 
acting,  it  is  said,  under  Hideyoshi’s  own  orders,  attacked 
and  took  Chinchu,  a fortified  town  to  the  west  of  Fusan, 
and  slew  more  than  sixty  thousand  Koreans  in  the 
assault  on  the  town  and  in  the  battle  in  the  open  which 
preceded  the  assault.  There  was  no  more  fighting  after 
this,  and  in  the  following  year  the  Chinese  troops  were 
withdrawn  from  Korea,  and  the  Japanese  left  with  only 
a garrison  at  Fusan.  There  was  as  yet  no  formal  peace, 
and  the  Koreans  burned  with  resentment  at  the  thought 
of  the  miseries  to  which  their  country  had  been  wantonly 
subjected. 

Yukinaga  remained  in  Korea,  and,  after  much 
negotiation,  succeeded  in  inducing  the  Chinese  to  send 
another  embassy  to  Japan  to  treat  for  a formal  peace  on 
a basis  which  he  arranged,  the  principal  conditions  of 
which  were  that  the  Emperor  of  China  should  invest 
Hideyoshi  with  the  dignity  of  King  of  Japan,  that  all 
Japanese  should  leave  Korea  and  that  they  should  never 
again  invade  it.  The  embassy,  which  consisted  of  two 
ambassadors,  with  a splendid  retinue,  in  due  course 


HIDEYOSHI  AND  UNIFICATION  OF  EMPIRE  195 


reached  Fusan,  where  they  were  detained  in  the  Japanese 
camp,  according  to  the  Jesuit  Fathers,  by  Hideyoshi’s 
own  orders,  who,  in  the  excess  of  his  personal  vanity, 
wished  to  have  time  to  make  preparations  for  giving  the 
ambassadors  a reception  which  would  impress  them  with 
adequate  ideas  of  his  splendour.  He  built  a great  Hall 
of  Audience,  “so  large  that  a thousand  tatami 1 were 
spread  in  it.  The  mats  were  edged  with  gold  and  silk 
fringe;  the  pillars  were  partly  plain,  partly  fluted  and 
twisted,  but  all  adorned  with  figures  wrought  in  pure 
gold.  Gold  was  everywhere,  even  on  the  roof  and  pave- 
ment.” The  Jesuits,  who  were  at  Osaka  and  saw  it,  say 
that  a hundred  thousand  men  were  engaged  in  its  con- 
struction, and  that  nothing  could  exceed  it.  While  this 
was  in  progress,  the  two  ambassadors,  who  were  both 
young  men,  were  detained  in  a sort  of  honourable  cap- 
tivity in  the  Japanese  camp  at  Fusan,  and  as  their  cap- 
tivity continued,  the  senior  began  to  mistrust  the  good 
faith  of  his  captors,  and  finally  secretly  absconded  in 
the  night,  disguised  and  unattended,  leaving  behind 
him  even  his  seals  of  office.  As  soon  as  his  flight  was 
discovered,  he  was  pursued,  but  he  succeeded  in  making 
his  way  back  to  his  own  country  by  byways. 

“This  precipitous  flight  was  variously  discoursed  on.  Some 
attributed  it  to  melancholy  and  grief  upon  his  confinement 
to  the  fortress,  others  to  a vile  and  servile  fear,  Chinese 
mandarins  being  for  the  most  part  of  mean  descent,  and 
promoted  to  their  offices  in  the  government  upon  slender 
proofs  of  their  abilities  in  the  academies  where  they  study, 
they  want  that  fire  and  martial  greatness  which  good  blood, 
the  example  of  predecessors  and  honour  of  families  usually 
inspire  into  children  that  are  better  born.  So  this  young 
cavalier,  being  the  son  of  one  of  these  mandarins  of  fortune, 
and  warrior  only  by  book,  feeling  himself  surrounded  by 
guards,  and  amongst  the  bravoes  of  Japan,  the  very  looks 
of  those  warlike  heroes  struck  him  into  such  a panic  fear 

1 The  mats  which  are  still  the  universal  floor  covering  in  Japan. 
Each  measures  six  feet  by  three. 


o 2 


196 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


that  he  believed  all  was  lost.  What  yet  improved  this 
suspicion  was  the  unadvised  discourse  of  a certain  Japanese, 
who  told  him  that  the  Tycoon  detained  them  purposely  in 
Korea,  by  way  of  reprisal,  to  be  avenged  on  the  Chinese 
for  assisting  his  enemies,  and  well  if  his  resentment  went 
no  further.  There  needed  no  more  to  make  him  believe  that 
there  was  a design  on  his  life  and  force  him  to  fly.” 

Whatever  the  cause  of  his  flight,  its  result  was  dis- 
astrous to  the  unfortunate  youth.  He  suffered  great 
hardships,  which  he  was  ill  fitted  to  bear,  on  his  journey, 
and  his  own  Emperor  was  so  indignant  at  his  conduct 
that  he  threw  him  into  prison,  confiscated  his  estate, 
and  his  whole  family  was  involved  in  his  ruin.  It  had, 
however,  also  the  result  of  putting  an  end  to  any  further 
delay  on  Hideyoshi’s  part.  The  second  ambassador, 
now  chief,  was  brought  to  Japan  and  arrived  at  Sakai. 
Unfortunately,  all  Hideyoshi’s  great  preparations  were 
nullified  by  two  of  the  terrible  earthquakes  which  are 
so  frequent  in  Japan,  and  the  two  on  this  occasion  estab- 
lished what  is  to  this  day  a record  of  ruin  and  disaster. 
On  the  night  of  the  30th  August  (1596),  and  again  on 
the  4th  of  September,  the  earth  was  shaken  with  such 
violence  that  all  Hideyoshi’s  great  buildings  were 
levelled  to  the  ground,  and  he  himself  barely  escaped 
from  his  own  palace,  carrying  his  young  child  in  his 
arms.  Seven  hundred  ladies  of  the  court  were  killed, 
and  of  all  his  great  palace  nothing  was  left  but  the 
kitchen.  Temples  and  houses  throughout  the  city  fell 
in  a moment,  and  “it  was  as  if  the  devils  of  hell  had 
broke  loose.” 

Hideyoshi  received  the  embassy  with  a ceremony 
which  was  vastly  diminished  from  what  he  intended, 
but  still  splendid.  All  went  well  until  the  contents  of 
the  ambassador’s  credentials  and  the  written  message  of 
the  Chinese  Emperor  were  explained  to  Hideyoshi. 
They  were  as  usual  written  in  classical  Chinese,  and  to 
an  educated  Japanese  were  as  intelligible  as  a document 


HIDEYOSHI  AND  UNIFICATION  OF  EMPIRE  197 


in  Latin  would  have  been  to  a statesman  of  the  days  of 
Elizabeth.  But  Hideyoshi  had  no  literary  education, 
and  had  to  invoke  the  help  of  a priest  to  interpret  both 
the  contents  of  the  letter  and  the  credentials.  When  he 
found  that  he  was  called  a tributary  to  China,  that  he 
was  desired  in  future  to  respectfully  follow  the  com- 
mands of  the  Emperor,  and  that  instructions  were  given 
to  him  as  to  the  conduct  of  his  own  people,  his  rage 
knew  no  bounds.  He  tore  off  the  robe  he  was  wearing, 
a present  from  the  Emperor  of  China,  “he  frothed  and 
foamed  at  the  mouth,  he  ranted  and  tore  till  his  head 
smoked  like  fire  and  his  body  was  all  over  in  a dropping 
sweat.”  The  unfortunate  ambassador  was  ordered  to 
quit  Japan  without  delay,  he  was  unceremoniously 
bundled  on  board  his  ship  at  Sakai,  and  Hideyoshi  pre- 
pared for  the  immediate  renewal  of  war.  A new  army 
of  a hundred  and  thirty  thousand  men  was  soon  landed 
in  Korea,  and  China  on  her  side  hastened  to  send  troops 
once  more  to  the  relief  of  her  tributary  in  the  hour  of  need. 

The  war  lasted  for  two  more  years.  Into  the  details 
of  its  varying  fortunes  we  need  not  enter,  and  we  will 
only  mention  some  of  its  most  important  incidents.  In 
the  previous  war,  the  Koreans  were  triumphant  on  the 
sea.  They  had  now  given  command  of  their  navy  to 
an  officer  who  distinguished  himself  only  by  his  incom- 
petence, while  the  Japanese,  on  the  other  hand,  had  been 
taught  by  their  previous  reverses  to  reorganize  and  place 
their  navy  on  a sound  footing.  The  Koreans  rashly 
attacked  them  when  they  were  safe  in  harbour,  and  the 
Korean  sailors,  wearied  with  a long  day  at  their  oars 
and  exhausted  by  hunger  and  thirst,  were  easily  beaten 
off.  The  Korean  admiral  was  flogged  for  his  failure, 
but,  instead  of  rousing  himself  under  this  experience, 
he  sought  consolation  in  drink,  and  he  and  his  whole 
fleet  were  taken  by  the  Japanese.  In  this  war  the 
Japanese  had,  therefore,  the  advantage  of  the  command 


198 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


of  the  sea.  Still  their  supplies  could  not  be  kept  up. 
and  on  one  occasion  they  were  invested  in  Yolsan  and 
reduced  to  such  extremities  that  they  chewed  earth  and 
paper,  and  at  night  used  to  steal  beyond  their  lines  to 
see  if,  happily,  in  the  haversack  of  some  dead  Chinese 
soldier  they  could  find  a few  grains  of  rice. 

There  is  still  a hill  in  Kioto,  near  to  the  Daibutsu 
Temple  and  to  Hideyoshi’s  own  tomb,  which  is  shown 
by  the  guides  to  every  European  tourist  as  the  “Ear 
Mound  ” (Mimidzuka).  In  the  battle  of  So-chou,  fought 
towards  the  close  of  1598,  thirty-nine  thousand  Chinese 
and  Koreans  were  slain.  So  many  heads  could  not 
easily  be  transported,  so  the  ears  and  noses  of  the  dead 
soldiers  were  cut  off  and  were  sent  packed  in  salt  to  the 
great  Dictator  in  Japan  as  evidence  of  thd  glorious  deeds 
of  his  soldiers,  and  this  mound  marks  the  spot  where 
they  were  buried.  But  before  the  gruesome  trophies 
reached  Japan,  before  even  the  battle  was  fought, 
Hideyoshi  was  no  more.  In  June  he  fell  ill.  His  last 
days  were  devoted  to  the  attempt  to  secure  the  inherit- 
ance of  all  his  honours  and  wealth  to  his  son,  a child  of 
eight  years  of  age.  Iyeyasu,  his  comrade  and  friend,  was 
summoned  to  his  side  from  his  own  domains  in  the 
East,  and  there  swore  to  the  father  in  the  most  solemn 
form  that  is  known  to  the  Japanese,  sealing  the  written 
oath  with  his  own  blood,  that  he  would  guard  the  inter- 
ests of  the  son.  The  thoughts  for  the  future  of  his  son 
did  not  prevent  the  old  general  from  remembering  his 
soldiers  in  Korea.  He  was  wearied  of  the  war  and  all 
its  long  list  of  casualties,  and  he  charged  Iyeyasu  not 
to  let  his  soldiers  “become  ghosts  in  Korea.”  This 
charge,  at  least,  was  faithfully  fulfilled,  and  by  the  end 
of  the  year  the  Japanese  soldiers  were  on  their  way  to 
their  homes,  having  left  behind  them  utter  desolation 
in  Korea,  a memory  of  slaughter  and  misery  which  to 
this  day  causes  the  words  “the  accursed  nation”  to  be 


HIDEYOSHI  AND  UNIFICATION  OF  EMPIRE  199 


the  ordinary  vernacular  terms  for  the  Japanese,  having 
suffered  enormous  losses  and  terrible  privations  them- 
selves, without  having  acquired  one  particle  of  material 
good  for  their  own  country. 

Hideyoshi  died  on  the  15th  of  September,  1598,  vain 
to  the  last,  for  his  last  injunctions  on  his  deathbed  were 
that  he  should  be  apotheosised  among  the  national  Gods 
of  Japan  as  the  new  Hachiman.  His  personal  vices, 
great  though  they  were,  are  obscured  in  the  national 
estimation  by  his  great  services  to  the  state.  It  was  by 
him  that  the  unification  of  all  Japan  was  completed; 
that  a strong  centralized  government,  able  to  enforce 
its  will  over  the  whole  country,  was  first  established ; 
that  the  firm  foundations  were  laid  of  the  dual  govern- 
ment which,  completed  by  Iyeyasu,  maintained  domestic 
peace  for  nearly  two  hundred  and  fifty  years,  and  that 
material  prosperity  was  restored  to  the  country,  wasted 
for  centuries  by  civil  war.  He  was  the  only  man  of  the 
people  who  ever  reached  the  highest  office  in  the  state, 
who  sought  his  confidants  and  advisers  from  the  class 
from  which  he  sprang,  and  who  made  the  happiness  and 
well-being  of  that  class  the  cardinal  point  of  all  his 
policy.  And  if  not  merciful  by  nature,  policy  taught 
him  to  be  so.  Under  him  there  was  no  ruthless  exter- 
mination of  defeated  enemies.  He  had  to  overcome  the 
prototypes  of  the  Taira  and  Hojo;  but  when  victory 
was  on  his  side,  as  it  always  was,  his  clemency  was 
such  as  to  turn  his  erstwhile  foes  into  grateful  friends, 
and  to  preserve  their  valour  and  talents  for  the  service 
of  his  country.  He  is,  and  is  worthily,  a great  national 
hero  to  this  day,  whose  name  and  story  all  the  Japanese 
are  proud  to  recall,  whose  glory  equalled  that  of 
Napoleon,  but  who  brought  nothing  but  good  to  his 
country  (the  sufferings  and  losses  of  the  Korean  wars  are 
forgotten  in  their  glory),  and  left  it  when  he  died  in 
every  way  better  for  his  life. 


200 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


We  have  left  the  story  of  one  passage  in  his  career 
till  the  last.  It  is  the  only  one  in  which — save  in  the 
case  of  the  Christians — he  departed  entirely  from  his 
usual  policy  of  mercy  and  conciliation,  in  which  he 
displayed  a degree  of  remorseless  cruelty  and  revenge 
that  would  not  have  misbecome  Kiyomori,  which  leaves 
a sad  blot  on  his  name,  though  it  is  entirely  forgotten 
by  his  own  countrymen,  who  remember  only  his  great 
glory  and  services. 

It  has  already  been  told  that  on  the  eve  of  the  war  with 
Korea,  he  resigned  his  office  of  Kuambaku  in  favour  of 
his  nephew  Hidetsugu,  the  son  of  a step-sister  who 
married  the  Prince  of  Musashi.  At  that  time  Hide- 
yoshi,  notwithstanding  his  frequent  marriages,  was  still 
childless,  and  Hidetsugu  was  regarded  by  himself  and 
all  the  people  as  his  heir.  Hidetsugu  was  over  thirty 
years  of  age,  and  his  character  as  drawn  by  the  Jesuits 
was  marked  by  strangely  contradictory  qualities. 

“ He  was  endowed  with  all  the  qualifications  that  can  be 
desired  in  a young  prince.  He  had  a quick  and  penetrating 
wit,  and  excellent  judgment,  and  withal  a most  courteous 
and  obliging  manner.  He  was  wise,  prudent  and  discreet. 
He  naturally  abhorred  the  abominable  vices  of  the  country, 
and,  what  is  rare  in  young  princes,  he  loved  learning,  and 
took  pleasure  in  it.  And  for  this  reason  he  was  delighted 
in  the  company  of  the  Fathers,  and  knowing  that  our 
Religion  set  a value  on  virtue  and  good  manners  he  took  a 
particular  affection  to  it.” 

Such  is  the  description  given  of  him  by  one  of  the 
Fathers  who  knew  him  well.  On  the  other  hand,  he 
took  a pleasure  both  in  the  contemplation  and  the  actual 
infliction  of  human  suffering  which  recalls  the  horrible 
vices  of  the  Emperor  Muretsu.  He  was  not  only  fond 
of  witnessing  public  executions  and  trials  by  torture,  but 
he  acted  at  times  as  the  executioner  or  the  torturer.  Not 
satisfied  with  the  ordinary  methods  of  execution,  he  used 


HIDEYOSHI  AND  UNIFICATION  OF  EMPIRE  201 


to  slowly  hack  criminals  to  pieces  with  his  sword,  to  cut 
off  their  arms  or  legs,  or  to  make  them  living  targets  to 
be  slowly  shot  to  death  with  firearms  or  arrows.  The 
horrors  of  his  cruelty  to  women  rival  those  of  Muretsu, 
and,  like  Muretsu’s,  do  not  bear  telling.  With  all  these 
savage  qualities,  he  was  favourably  disposed  towards 
Christianity,  and  was  regarded  by  the  Jesuit  priests  as  a 
promising  convert. 

The  birth  of  a child  from  Hideyoshi’s  sixth  wife, 
Yodo,  daughter  of  Azai,  Prince  of  Bizen,  and,  according 
to  the  Jesuits,  “the  dearest  and  best  beloved  of  all  his 
wives,”  changed  all  the  nephew’s  prospects  in  life.  He 
could  no  longer  hope  to  inherit  the  wealth  and  dignity 
of  his  uncle,  and  the  disappointment  was  embittered  by 
the  fact  that  he  had  three  children  of  his  own,  two  of 
them  sons,  in  whom  he  fondly  hoped  the  family  honours 
would  have  been  vested  on  his  own  death,  to  continue  a 
race  of  hereditary  rulers  of  the  Empire.  The  disappoint- 
ment was  still  further  embittered  by  the  credence  which 
was  generally  given  to  the  report  that  Hideyoshi’s 
newly-born  child  was  supposititious,  a credence  in  which 
the  nephew’s  own  interests  made  him  too  readily  share. 
He  received,  it  is  true,  the  great  dignity  of  Kuambaku, 
but  enjoyed  it  only  in  name.  Hideyoshi  retained  abso- 
lute power  in  his  own  hands,  and  it  was  only  natural 
to  expect  that  he  should  use  it  to  secure  the  future  of  his 
son  to  the  detriment  of  that  of  the  nephew.  Jealousy 
and  suspicion  soon  arose  between  the  uncle  and  the 
nephew.  Outward  civilities  were  interchanged  between 
them.  The  nephew  lived  at  Kioto,  the  uncle  in  the  new 
palace  which  he  had  built  for  himself  at  Fushimi.  A 
state  visit  was  made  by  the  latter  to  his  nephew.  The 
road  between  the  two  palaces  was  lined  on  both  sides 
with  guards  with  drawn  swords,  and  a retinue  of  three 
hundred  nobles  attended  on  Hideyoshi,  “who  rode  in  a 
car  all  inlaid  with  gold,  drawn  by  two  large  black  oxen 


202 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


with  gilded  horns  and  embroidered  trappings  of  crimson 
velvet  that  hung  down  to  the  ground.”  For  the  banquet 
at  which  he  was  entertained,  thirteen  thousand  tables  1 
were  prepared  on  which  the  successive  courses  were 
served  to  all  the  guests.  But  beneath  all  the  outward 
display  of  pomp  and  friendliness,  there  was  nothing  but 
distrust.  Hideyoshi’s  own  personal  guards  never  left 
his  side  by  day  or  night,  and  he  refused  to  lodge  in  the 
same  palace  with  his  nephew,  on  the  ostensible  grounds 
that  there  was  none  sufficiently  spacious  to  accommodate 
the  families  and  followers  of  both.  The  visit  ended 
without  mishap,  but  soon  after  his  return  to  Fushimi, 
Hideyoshi  ordered  his  nephew  to  visit  him  there,  un- 
attended except  by  pages.  On  his  way  he  was  arrested 
and  conducted  to  Fushimi  not  as  a guest  but  as  a 
prisoner,  and  on  his  arrival  was  at  once  ordered  to  con- 
tinue his  journey  to  the  monastery  of  Koya,  fully  sixty 
miles  distant. 

Koya,  near  the  northern  limits  of  the  province  of 
Kishiu,  stands  on  a steep  hill.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
ancient  Buddhist  foundations  in  the  land,  famed  for  its 
hall  of  ten  thousand  lamps,  some  at  least  of  which  have 
been  kept  perpetually  lighted,  both  day  and  night,  for 
many  centuries.  It  is  said  that  none  can  voluntarily 
enter  it  who  is  not  pure  of  heart,  but  it  was  often  used 
in  the  middle  and  later  ages  as  a place  of  confinement 
for  high-born  political  offenders,  and  many,  whose 
hearts  may  have  been  pure  but  were  certainly  sad,  have 
crossed  the  “ Bridge  of  Paradise  ” which  leads  to  it,  never 
again  to  quit  it.  In  no  other  spot  are  there  so  many 
memorials  of  great  personages,  both  of  old  and  new 
Japan,  as  are  found  in  the  cemetery  which  is  attached 
to  it.  Burial  in  the  cemetery  is  presumed  to  open  the 
gates  of  paradise  to  the  dead,  and  those  who  die  too  far 

1 These  tables  were  the  small  stands  on  which  dishes  are  still 
served  separately  to  each  guest  at  Japanese  dinners. 


HIDEYOSHI  AND  UNIFICATION  OF  EMPIRE  203 


away  to  admit  of  the  actual  interment  of  even  a fragment 
of  their  bodies,  obtain  the  full  privileges  of  burial, 
though  there  is  no  grave,  if  a monument  is  erected  to 
their  memories. 

Arrived  there,  after  three  days’  travelling,  Hidetsugu 
was  closely  confined  in  one  small  room,  and  the  Prince, 
who,  a few  weeks  before,  had  entertained  his  guests 
with  thirteen  thousand  tables,  was  scarcely  supplied  with 
the  ordinary  necessaries  of  life.  He  was  still  attended 
by  the  ten  pages  who  had  accompanied  him  to  Fushimi. 
Five  of  these  were  recalled.  Then  orders  came  that 
Hidetsugu  and  the  remaining  five  should  all  commit 
hara-kiri.  There  was  no  thought  of  disobeying  these 
orders.  To  have  done  so  would  have  been  to  invite 
degradation  and  a felon’s  death  at  the  hands  of  the 
common  executioner,  to  leave  a stain  upon  their  names 
that  no  time  could  efface.  The  pages,  boys  none  of 
whom  was  older  than  nineteen  years,  one  of  whom  was 
only  sixteen,  each  in  turn,  in  his  master’s  presence,  used 
his  sword  upon  himself  in  the  sickeningly  painful  fashion 
that  honour  prescribed,  and  the  master  then  performed 
for  each  the  last  duty  that  a faithful  friend  can  render, 
that  of  cutting  off  the  head  when  the  youth  was  quiver- 
ing and  bleeding  from  the  gash  that  he  had  inflicted 
upon  himself.  Last  of  all,  the  Prince,  the  lord  and 
master,  also  died  on  the  same  sword  that  he  had  used 
on  them. 

Having  thus  removed  the  chief  offender  from  his 
way,  it  might  have  been  thought  that  Hideyoshi  would 
have  been  satisfied,  but  a frenzied  lust  of  blood  seemed 
to  have  momentarily  taken  possession  of  him.  Not  only 
was  every  one  of  Hidetsugu’s  adherents,  whether  bound 
to  him  by  ties  of  blood  or  friendship,  put  to  death, 
but  higwife  and  children,  and  all  the  ladies  of  his  court, 
all  of  noble  birth,  were  also  condemned  to  die  like 
criminals  by  the  executioner’s  hands,  on  the  common 


204 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


execution  ground,  the  dry  bed  of  the  river  Kamo.  The 
Jesuits  witnessed  their  procession  through  the  streets  of 
Kioto  to  the  ground.  The  ladies,  “with  the  very  image 
of  death  in  their  faces,”  were  carried  in  carts,  but  the 
most  pitiable  sight  of  all  was  that  of  Hidetsugu’s  three 
little  children,  the  eldest  not  five  years  of  age.  On  the 
execution  ground,  the  head  of  their  dead  father,  husband 
and  lord  was  thrust  in  their  faces.  The  children  at- 
tempted to  run  from  the  horrid  sight,  “and  wept  as  if 
their  hearts  would  have  burst,”  but  they  were  taken  one 
after  the  other  and  beheaded  before  their  mother’s  eyes ; 
then  all  the  ladies  were  also  beheaded.  Vengeance 
was  not  satiated  even  with  their  deaths.  Their  bodies 
were  all  thrown  into  a pit,  and  it  was  labelled  “The  tomb 
of  beasts,”  beast  being  the  most  offensive  term  that  the 
Japanese  vocabulary  affords  for  application  to  human 
beings.  It  is  not  surprising  that  the  Jesuits,  forgetting 
many  chapters  in  the  previous  history  of  Japan,  call  this 
“one  of  the  bloodiest  tragedies  that  has  ever  been  acted 
in  the  theatre  of  this  world,”  and  that  they  saw  in  it  the 
presage  of  the  fate  which  afterwards  fell  upon  them- 
selves. 


CHAPTER  XII 


IYEYASU,  FOUNDER  OF  THE  TOKUGAWA  SHOGUNATE 

Every  great  dictator  of  Japan  was  anxious  to  found  a 
family  of  hereditary  rulers.  It  was  so  with  Kiyomori 
and  Yoritomo,  with  Hojo  Tokimasa,  with  Ashikaga 
Takauji  and  with  Nobunaga.  It  was  equally  Hideyoshi’s 
ambition.  Tokimasa  and  Takauji  succeeded;  Kiyomori 
and  Yoritomo  failed.  Hideyoshi’s  ambition  was  even 
more  overweening  than  theirs.  They  were  both  of  noble 
birth,  sprung  from  and  reared  among  the  ruling  class. 
Hideyoshi  was  an  upstart,  whose  genius  forced  his 
acceptance  on  the  nobility  of  the  Empire,  despite  the 
natural  aversion  which  they  held  to  one  born  far  beneath 
them,  to  whom  they  were  forced  to  bend  the  knee  in 
outward  and  abject  submission,  while  the  outraged  pride 
of  caste  was  bitterly  rankling  in  their  hearts.  The  young 
son,  whom  Hideyoshi  left  as  his  heir,  was  of  doubtful 
paternity  to  every  one  but  the  reputed  father,  who 
cherished  the  child  with  all  the  pride  and  devoted  love 
that  the  fondest  father  could  show.  It  was  not  likely 
that  a child  of  low  descent  at  best,  possibly  with  no 
rightful  hereditary  claims  to  his  father’s  honour,  would 
retain  the  lealty  of  a proud  nobility  in  such  a degree 
that  it  would  be  devoted  to  preserve  his  dignity  until 
he  became  of  age  to  defend  it  himself.  Hideyoshi  was 
far  too  sagacious  to  let  fatherly  pride  and  affection 
blind  him  to  the  complications  that  might  follow  his 
death,  and  on  his  deathbed  he  did  all  that  human 
wisdom  could  do  to  provide  for  his  son  the  protection 

205 


206 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


he  could  no  longer  give  himself.  Iyeyasu  was  next  to 
himself  the  most  powerful  subject  of  the  Empire.  They 
had  been  comrades  in  arms  under  Nobunaga.  Both 
rose  to  fame  and  fortune  together,  and  Hideyoshi,  at 
the  height  of  his  power,  enriched  Iyeyasu  with  the  gift 
of  the  Eastern  Provinces,  the  richest  and  finest  in  all  the 
land,  where  Iyeyasu’s  descent  made  him  an  acceptable 
ruler,  and  secured  for  him  the  feudal  devotion  of  the 
descendants  of  the  people  wrho  had  faithfully  served  his 
ancestors.  Iyeyasu  alone  could  provide  for  the  child’s 
future  security,  and  Hideyoshi,  in  appointing  him  his 
guardian,  thought  to  ensure  his  fidelity  in  uniting  his 
interest  with  his  duty,  and  to  that  end  he  arranged  the 
marriage  of  his  son  with  Iyeyasu’s  granddaughter. 
Four  other  great  territorial  Princes  were  associated  with 
Iyeyasu  in  his  office,  and  to  the  five  were  entrusted  both 
the  guardianship  of  the  child  and  the  regency  of  the 
Empire,  always,  of  course,  under  the  Emperor,  until  he 
came  of  age. 

Iyeyasu  was  born  at  Okasaki,  in  the  Province  of 
Mikawa,  in  1542 — a year  remarkable  in  the  national 
history  as  that  in  which  the  Portuguese,  the  first 
Europeans  to  discover  Japan  and  to  enter  into  com- 
mercial relations  with  it,  first  landed  on  its  shore.  He 
was  a descendant  of  the  Minamoto.  Except  under  the 
Hojo,  the  Shogunate,  which  was  first  conferred  by  the 
Emperor  on  Yoritomo,  the  great  chief  of  the  Minamoto, 
was  always  held  by  that  family,  and  it  had  come  to  be 
regarded  in  the  national  estimation  as  their  exclusive 
right.  It  was  for  this  reason  that  neither  Nobunaga  nor 
Hideyoshi  ever  assumed  it — it  has  been  already  told  how 
Hideyoshi  vainly  endeavoured  to  surmount  the  obstacle 
by  adoption — but  the  title  was  now  open  to  Iyeyasu,  if 
ever  his  influence  and  power  justified  him  in  claiming  it. 
By  Nobunaga  he  was  enfeoffed  with  the  province  in 
w'hich  he  was  born,  and,  as  has  just  been  stated,  Hide- 


IYEYASU 


207 


yoshi’s  bounty  subsequently  made  him  Prince  of  the 
eight  Eastern  Provinces.  Here  he  founded  Yedo 
(Tokio)  in  the  year  1590,  making  it  the  capital  of  his 
rich  domains,  and  Yedo  soon  acquired  the  greatness 
which  had  formerly  belonged  to  Kamakura.  His  family 
name,  Tokugawa,  was,  like  those  of  Hojo  and  Ashikaga, 
geographical  in  its  origin,  derived  from  a district  in  the 
province  of  Shimotsuke,  in  which  his  ancestors  at  one 
time  lived. 

It  was  not  long  after  Hideyoshi’s  death  before  dissen- 
sions occurred  among  the  guardians,  and  suspicions  as 
to  Iyeyasu’s  motives  soon  began  to  develop  themselves 
in  the  minds  of  the  colleagues.  The  suspicions  were 
inflamed  by  jealousy  of  the  preponderating  influence 
which  his  means  and  ability  and  the  great  trust  re- 
posed in  him  by  Hideyoshi  gave  him.  From  sus- 
picion and  jealousy  it  was,  in  those  days,  not  a long 
way  to  action.  Iyeyasu  had  taken  possession,  on 
Hideyoshi’s  death,  of  his  palace  at  Fushimi,  a suburb 
of  Kioto,  and  made  it  the  seat  of  the  government.  A 
league  was  formed  against  him,  the  guiding  spirit  of 
which  was  Ishida  Mitsunari,  one  of  Hideyoshi’s 
ministers,  but  not  one  of  the  guardians  of  his  son,  and 
during  Iyeyasu’s  temporary  absence  in  one  of  his  own 
provinces  a sudden  assault  was  made  on  Fushimi,  and 
the  castle  was  taken  after  a few  days’  siege  by  an  army 
got  together  by  the  league.  Civil  war  was  now  inevit- 
able. The  league,  supported  by  Choshiu  and  Satsuma, 
as  well  as  other  great  feudatories,  gathered  an  army  of 
over  a hundred  thousand  men  at  Osaka,  while  Iyeyasu 
quickly  assembled  under  his  banner  all  the  fighting 
strength  of  his  Eastern  Provinces,  and  his  army,  in  two 
divisions,  was  soon  on  its  march  to  the  west,  followed 
a little  later  by  himself.  Their  march  led  through  the 
provinces  of  Mino  and  Owari.  Mino  was  now  the  fief 
of  Hidenobu,  the  surviving  nephew  of  Nobunaga,  and 


208 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


his  castle  seat  was  at  the  town  of  Gifu,  the  home  of  his 
great-uncle  before  he  built  his  castle  at  Azuchi,  on  Lake 
Biwa.  It  was  a place  of  supreme  strategic  importance, 
and  its  acquisition  was  vital  to  the  interests  of  both  the 
league  and  Iyeyasu.  Its  lord,  a zealous  young  Christian 
Prince  of  twenty-two  years  of  age,  had  given  his  adher- 
ence to  neither,  and  would  have  been  only  too  willing 
to  have  abstained  from  all  share  in  the  coming  conflict. 
But  the  army  of  the  league  was  already  on  his  southern 
frontiers,  and  Iyeyasu  was  rapidly  advancing  from  the 
north,  and  he  had  to  choose  between  them.  He  took  the 
side  of  the  league,  and  prepared  to  defend  himself  until 
their  army  could  come  to  his  assistance.  Iyeyasu  did 
not  loiter  on  his  march.  He  reached  Gifu  first.  Then 
he  sent  an  advance  party  of  six  hundred  men  against  the 
castle,  while  he  kept  the  main  force  of  the  division  in 
ambush  in  the  rear.  The  impetuous  young  Prince,  see- 
ing only  the  advance  party,  sallied  out  of  his  castle  and 
drove  them  back,  but  fell  into  the  trap  prepared  for  him. 
He  made  a gallant  effort  to  redeem  his  folly,  but  the 
Easterns  “were  on  his  heels  through  all  his  retreat, 
killing  and  slaying  on  every  side,”  and  they  entered  the 
castle  simultaneously  with  the  fugitives,  and  took  it 
without  opposition,  putting  all  the  garrison  to  the  sword. 
With  this  fortress  in  his  rear  to  furnish  a safe  retreat, 
Iyeyasu  pushed  on  with  the  whole  of  his  army  to  Seki 
ga  Hara,  where  he  found  the  army  of  the  league  in  his 
front. 

Seki  ga  Hara  (Moor  of  the  Barrier)  is  a wide  plain 
at  the  foot  of  Mount  Ibuki,  the  mountain  on  which 
Yamatodake  contracted  his  death-chill.  It  is  crossed  by 
the  River  Seki  no  Fuji,  which  takes  its  rise  on  the  moun- 
tain and  flows  into  the  sea  at  the  Gulf  of  Owari.  The 
army  of  the  league  was  encamped  on  the  western  bank  of 
the  river,  where  it  lay  in  idle  inaction,  while  Iyeyasu  was 
vigorously  capturing  Gifu  and  bringing  up  all  his  force. 


IYEYASU 


209 


When  he  had  collected  his  full  strength,  all  he  could 
muster  was  fifty  thousand  men.  The  league,  on  the  other 
hand,  had  eighty  thousand,  but  while  there  was  only 
one  supreme  head  of  Iyeyasu’s  army,  while  all  its 
elements  were  united  in  their  own  common  interest  and 
in  devotion  to  and  confidence  in  their  general,  that  of 
the  league  had  many  chiefs,  all  suspicious  of  each  other, 
without  unanimity  either  of  interest  or  sentiment,  their 
only  bond  of  union  being  hatred  and  jealousy  of 
Iyeyasu.  Treachery  added  itself  to  disunion  on  the  day 
of  the  battle,  and  caused  the  battle  to  be,  in  fact,  little 
more  than  a massacre.  The  army  of  the  league  included 
many  veterans  of  the  Korean  War.  Among  its  generals 
was  Konishi  Yukinaga,  the  Christian  soldier,  who  had 
fought  through  the  whole  of  that  war  and  of  the  Iviushiu 
campaign,  whose  experience  and  skill  were  not  inferior 
to  those  of  Iyeyasu  himself.  But  when  the  charge  was 
sounded,  and  the  battalions  of  the  league  began  to  move 
with  colours  flying,  several  of  the  generals,  with  their 
troops,  marched  straight  over  to  the  enemy.  Panic 
seized  the  rest,  veterans  and  recruits  alike,  and  they  fled 
in  disorder,  having  scarcely  struck  a single  blow.  The 
Easterns,  “falling  on  them  like  an  avalanche,” 
slaughtered  them  in  thousands.  A mound  is  still  shown 
on  the  battlefield  called  Kubi  dzuka,  or  head-pile,  the 
counterpart  of  the  Mimi  dzuka  in  Kioto.  Beneath  it  are 
said  to  be  buried  the  heads  of  more  than  forty  thousand 
men  who  were  slain,  more  than  half  of  the  strength  of 
the  league’s  army.  Only  a few  of  the  leaders,  with  their 
own  immediate  retainers,  withstood  the  Eastern  charge. 
Most  were  either  slain  or  took  the  last  Samurai  step. 
Among  them  was  Yukinaga,  the  Christian  hero  of  a 
hundred  fights.  Seeing  his  army  in  a hopeless  rout,  he 
threw  himself,  sword  in  hand,  among  the  pursuers, 
“slaying  on  every  side,  and  bearing  all  down  before 
him,  till,  overpowered  and  wounded  from  head  to  foot, 

p 


210 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


he  was  forced  to  surrender  himself  a prisoner.”  His 
religion  forbade  him  to  take  his  own  life,  as  a Samurai 
should  when  all  is  lost,  and  rather  than  offend  his  God 
he  chose  to  expose  himself  to  an  ignominious  death  and 
the  reputation  of  a traitor  to  the  inflexible  code  of 
honour  of  his  class.  Iyeyasu,  who  knew  well  the 
character  and  skill  of  his  prisoner,  endeavoured  to  enlist 
him  on  his  own  side,  and,  to  tempt  him,  offered  one  of 
his  granddaughters  in  marriage  to  Yukinaga’s  son. 
But  nothing  would  seduce  him  from  the  allegiance  to 
the  child  of  Hideyoshi,  his  old  master.  His  choice  lay 
between  ignominious  death  as  a common  criminal  on  the 
one  side,  and  wealth,  distinction  and  a continued  career 
on  the  other,  but  he  never  wavered  for  an  instant  from 
the  path  of  Christian  duty.  So  he  was  condemned  to 
die.  To  his  judges  he  made  only  one  prayer  : that  he 
might  be  allowed  the  services  of  a priest  of  the  Church. 
It  was  referred  to  Iyeyasu,  who,  angry  at  his  failure  to 
bring  to  his  side  so  great  a man,  refused  it.  Ishida 
Mitsunari,  who  was  also  taken  prisoner,  was  likewise 
condemned  to  death,  and  when  the  day  came  both 
general  and  statesman  were  put  into  a common  cart, 
their  hands  tied  behind  their  backs,  and  thus  publicly 
carried  through  the  streets  of  the  capital  to  the  common 
execution  ground  on  the  bed  of  the  River  Kamo.  The 
statesman  was  overcome  with  shame  and  ignominy,  and 
bent  his  head  in  despair,  but  Yukinaga  faced  the  mob  of 
people  with  “an  air  of  majesty  that  showed  the  great- 
ness of  his  soul  and  the  joy  he  found  to  share  with  his 
Saviour  in  His  ignominy  and  torments.” 

Seki  ga  Hara  was  the  third  of  the  great  decisive 
battles  of  Japan.  Dan  no  Ura  confirmed  the  absolute 
power  of  Yoritomo;  Minatogawa  that  of  Takauji,  and 
Seki  ga  Hara  now  made  Iyeyasu  master  of  all  Japan. 
Feudatories,  who  had  stood  aside  or  opposed  him, 
hastened  to  offer  their  submission.  Black-hearted 


IYEYASU 


211 


treachery  was  not  always  content  with  mere  craven  sub- 
mission. Mori,  the  Lord  of  the  Western  Provinces,  next 
to  Iyeyasu,  the  most  powerful  feudatory  in  the  Empire, 
one  of  the  guardians  of  Hideyoshi’s  child,  thought  to 
win  favour  by  murdering  the  son  of  Yukinaga,  a boy 
of  twelve  years  old,  and  sending  his  head  to  Iyeyasu. 
But  the  boy  had  been  the  possible  husband  of  Iyeyasu ’s 
own  granddaughter,  and  Iyeyasu  was  both  disgusted 
and  angry  at  the  offering.  While  other  nobles  were 
pardoned  in  the  general  submission,  Mori  was  mulcted 
of  a large  slice  of  his  domains.  All  these  events  which 
have  been  described  occurred  in  the  year  1600,  the  great 
battle  being  fought  in  the  month  of  October.  Hide- 
yoshi’s son  was  now  ten  years  of  age,  and  was  with 
his  mother  in  the  castle  at  Osaka.  No  one  would  have 
condemned  Iyeyasu  had  he  made  away  with  the  boy, 
secretly  or  openly,  and  by  so  doing  removed  a possible 
danger  in  the  future  from  his  path.  History  told  him 
the  consequences  that  followed  Kiyomori’s  mercy  to 
Yoritomo  under  the  same  circumstances.  But  he  had 
seen  also  the  good  results  of  Hideyoshi’s  clemency,  and 
he  determined  to  be  guided  by  the  later  precedent.  Of 
all  the  great  leaders  who  had  opposed  him,  only  Yuki- 
naga and  Mitsunari  were  put  to  death.  The  others  were 
forgiven,  and  Hideyoshi’s  widow  and  her  child  were 
assigned  a revenue  sufficient  for  their  support,  if  not  in 
the  same  splendour  as  Hideyoshi  had  lived,  still  in  a 
style  becoming  nobles  of  the  highest  rank,  and  were  left 
in  undisturbed  possession  of  the  castle  at  Osaka. 

Fortified  both  by  claims  of  irresistible  power  and  of 
birth,  Iyeyasu  was  justified  in  asking  for  the  resumption 
in  his  favour  of  the  title  of  Sei-i-Tai-Shogun,  and  it  was 
conferred  on  him  by  the  Emperor  in  1603,  so  that  hence- 
forth he  enjoyed  both  the  reality  and  the  name  of  the 
chief  administrative  authority  in  the  Empire.  He  at 
once  set  about  completing  the  task  which  Hideyoshi  had 
p 2 


212 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


begun,  of  establishing  the  dual  system  of  government 
on  an  enduring  basis,  and  of  ordering  it  in  such  a way 
that  it  would  remain  in  the  hands  of  his  descendants. 
He  had  already  acquired  considerable  experience  in  civil 
administration  in  his  own  great  fief,  which  he  now  turned 
to  benefit  in  the  larger  field  of  the  whole  Empire.  With 
all  his  clemency,  he  had  large  confiscated  estates  to 
dispose  of.  These  were  naturally  given  to  his  own 
relatives  and  followers,  and  those  held  by  his  beaten 
foes  or  lukewarm  supporters  were  redistributed  in  such 
a way  as  to  render  impracticable  any  future  combination 
between  them  to  the  disturbance  of  the  peace  of  the 
Empire.  To  his  own  sons  were  given  the  great  fiefs  of 
Owari,  Kishiu  1 and  Echizen,  all  commanding  in  various 
degrees  the  approaches  to  the  capital.  The  confiscated 
provinces  of  the  traitor,  Mori,  were  given  to  Tokugawa, 
adherents  of  tried  faith,  so  that  they  commanded  what 
may  be  called  the  midlands  of  the  Empire,  and  Mori 
himself,  once  the  lord  of  eight  provinces,  the  rival  of 
Iyeyasu  in  wealth  and  power,  was  left  only  the  provinces 
of  Nagato  and  Suwo,  in  the  extreme  west,  where  he  was 
harmless  for  national  ill.  The  Eastern  Provinces 
Iyeyasu  retained  in  his  own  hands,  to  be  his  own  and 
his  successors’  domains,  and  they  effectually  commanded 
all  the  more  northern  fiefs,  from  which,  however,  no 
disaffection  to  the  Tokugawa  cause  was  to  be  dreaded. 
When  his  grand  scheme  of  the  reorganization  of  the 
fiefs  was  complete,  their  number  amounted  to  two 
hundred  and  ninety-two,  of  which  eighteen  comprised 
one  or  more  provinces,  and  were  of  the  first  rank.  Of 
the  whole  number,  no  less  than  a hundred  and  seventy- 
six  were  held  by  what  were  called  Fudai  lords.  They 
were  either  relatives  or  vassals  of  the  Tokugawa,  or  if 
not  connected  with  them  by  ties  of  blood  or  service,  had 

1 It  is  a common  mistake  among  Europeans  to  confuse  Kishiu  and 
Kiushiu.  Kiushiu  is,  of  course,  the  great  Southern  Island.  Kishiu  is 
a province  in  the  south-east  of  the  Main  Island. 


IYEYASU 


213 


shown  their  fealty  by  casting  in  their  lot  with  Iyeyasu 
from  the  first,  when  his  fate  was  still  in  the  balance. 
They  were  distributed  in  strategic  positions,  principally 
in  the  main  island,  where  their  assistance  was  always  at 
the  call  of  the  head  of  the  family.  To  secure  the  good 
conduct  of  those  not  connected  by  blood  with  the  Toku- 
gawa,  whose  strength  or  the  remoteness  of  their  fiefs 
might  induce  them  at  any  time  to  become  restless  under 
the  authority  of  the  central  government  which  it  was 
Iyeyasu’s  desire  to  render  all-powerful  in  the  Imperial 
matters — the  details  of  local  administration  he  left  to 
the  chiefs  of  each  fief,  so  long  as  they  created  no  scandal 
by  cruelty  or  extortion  towards  their  own  people— each 
feudal  chief  was  forced  to  spend  part  of  each  year  in 
Yedo,  the  Shogun’s  capital,  and  when  he  returned  to  his 
fief,  to  leave  his  wife  and  children  in  the  capital  as 
hostages  for  his  good  behaviour.1  Every  one  was  also 
obliged  to  obtain  investiture  from  the  Shogun  on  each 
succession,  and  to  maintain  in  his  service  and  pay  a 
number  of  armed  retainers,  proportionate  to  the  wealth 
and  extent  of  his  domains,  who  were  the  soldiers  of  the 
Empire  in  time  of  need.  The  feudal  chiefs  and  their 
armed  retainers  were  the  Daimio  and  Samurai,  the 
territorial  nobles  and  gentry  of  Japan. 

The  Ashikaga  Shoguns  lived  at  Kioto,  but  Iyeyasu 
determined  to  revert  to  the  more  ancient  precedent  of  the 
Minamoto  and  Hojo  periods,  and  make  his  capital  in  his 
own  home.  Kamakura  had  fallen  into  utter  decay,  but 
Iyeyasu  resolved  to  revive  all  its  glories  in  his  new 
capital  at  Yedo.  He  had  chosen  the  site  in  1590,  when 
he  was  first  enfeoffed  with  the  Eastern  Provinces;  it  had 
already  acquired  considerable  importance  when  he 
became  Shogun,  and  with  all  the  eclat  that  was  given 
to  it  as  the  capital  of  the  Shogun,  its  growth  advanced 
by  leaps  and  bounds.  The  territorial  nobles,  obliged  to 

1 This  was  only  made  a legal  obligation  by  Iyeyasu’s  grandson, 
Iyemitsu. 


214 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


spend  part  of  each  year  in  it,  and  accompanied  on  their 
visits  by  a huge  train  of  followers,  built  palaces  for  their 
own  and  their  retainers’  accommodation,  and  vied  with 
each  other,  while  in  residence,  in  the  display  of  their 
splendour.  There  was,  therefore,  a constant  flow  of  the 
wealth  of  the  provinces  to  Yedo,  and  it  became  the  home 
of  luxury  and  all  that  was  best  in  art  and  literature. 
Kioto,  where  the  Emperor  lived  in  his  impotent 
seclusion,  retained  all  the  sanctity  that  was  given  to  it 
by  its  ancient  history,  and  by  the  fact  that  it  was  the 
residence  of  the  Divine  Sovereign,  the  Descendant  of 
the  Gods.  Osaka  retained  and  increased  its  commercial 
importance,  but  Yedo  became  the  most  populous  and 
wealthy  city  of  the  Empire,  the  living  centre  of  its 
political  system.  It  not  only  revived  but  surpassed  the 
glories  of  Kamakura. 

Iyeyasu  only  held  the  title  of  Shogun  for  two  years. 
In  1605,  while  still  in  the  full  prime  of  his  mental  and 
physical  vigour,  following  the  ordinary  Japanese  cus- 
tom,1 he  abdicated  in  favour  of  his  son  Hidetada,  and 
retired  to  Shidzuoka,  his  original  home  prior  to  the 
founding  of  Yedo.  The  retirement  from  active  life  was 
only  on  the  surface.  He  continued  to  keep  a watchful 
eye  on  all  the  affairs  of  the  state,  and  in  the  name  of  his 
son  to  exercise  an  authority  no  less  absolute  or  universal 
than  he  had  done  while  he  retained  the  name  as  well  as 
the  reality  of  power.  All  was  peaceful  in  the  Empire, 
and  the  work  of  consolidation  of  the  central  government 
went  steadily  forward.  But  one  source  of  disquiet  still 
remained,  one  that  might  yet  become  the  cause  of  the 
overthrow  of  the  Tokugawa  family,  and  bring  upon 
them  the  fate  that  had  befallen  so  many  of  their 
predecessors. 

Hideyori,  Hideyoshi’s  son,  grew  to  manhood,  and 
was  deficient  neither  in  capacitjr  nor  courage.  He  con- 
1 See  page  74. 


IYEYASU 


215 


tinued  to  enjoy  the  revenue  assigned  to  him  by  Iyeyasu, 
and  to  reside  in  the  castle  of  Osaka  with  his  mother,  a 
woman  of  strong  character,  prudence  and  intelligence. 
Both  son  and  mother  were  content  with  their  condition, 
and  neither  desired  to  give  cause  of  offence  to  the 
Shogun,  to  whose  bounty  they  owed  both  life  and 
sustenance,  and  whose  granddaughter  was  the  wife  of 
the  son. 

Unfortunately  malcontents  of  the  Empire  gathered 
around  them,  feudatories  whose  estates  were  confiscated 
by  Iyeyasu,  retainers  whose  fortunes  had  perished  with 
those  of  their  lords,  and  soldiers  whose  trade  seemed  to 
be  at  an  end,  who  had  nothing  to  lose  and  everything 
to  gain  in  another  civil  war.  Hopes  were  gradually 
instilled  into  Hideyori’s  mind  that  he  might  one  day 
recover  the  dignity  of  his  father,  and  he  gave  a ready 
ear  to  those  who  told  him  that  he  had  only  to  raise  his 
standard  to  bring  to  its  side  all  in  the  Empire  who 
remembered  and  shared  in  his  father’s  glories,  and  all 
who  had  suffered  under  Iyeyasu.  Nothing  of  this  was 
unknown  to  Iyeyasu.  His  spies  and  emissaries  were 
everywhere,  and  reports  of  everything  that  occurred  in 
Osaka  were  brought  to  him  in  his  rural  retreat  at  Shid- 
zuoka  as  fast  as  the  fleetest  messengers  could  carry  them. 
His  conduct  to  Hideyori  had  not  been  wanting  in  dis- 
ingenuousness. He  had  persuaded  the  young  man,  full 
of  reverence  to  the  memory  of  his  father,  that  it  was  his 
duty  to  rebuild  the  great  temple  of  Daibutsu  at  Kioto, 
destroyed  in  the  earthquake  of  1596,  in  the  hope  that  his 
revenues  would  thereby  be  so  depleted  that  nothing 
would  be  left  for  the  support  of  the  soldiers  who  were 
resorting  to  Osaka.  It  was  in  the  year  1610  that  Iyeyasu 
urged  this  project  on  Hideyori,  and  its  magnitude  may 
be  estimated  from  the  fact  that  it  required  four  years  to 
carry  it  out.  The  temple  was  completed  in  1614,  and  its 
dedication  was  fixed  for  the  close  of  the  year.  Three 


216 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


thousand  priests  were  already  assembled  for  the  cere- 
mony from  all  the  great  Buddhist  foundations  through- 
out the  country,  and  all  the  people,  both  of  Kioto  and 
Osaka  and  of  all  the  country  around,  had  gathered  in 
crowds  for  a festival  of  rare  splendour  and  holiness, 
when,  at  the  last  moment,  when  the  priests  had  actually 
commenced  the  service,  mounted  messengers  arrived  in 
hot  haste  from  Iyeyasu,  in  his  retirement,  far  away 
at  Shidzuoka,  with  orders  that  the  dedication  ceremony 
should  be  stopped.  It  is  said  that  he  considered  the 
inscriptions  on  the  great  bell  of  the  temple  were  person- 
ally offensive.  The  bell  was  in  keeping  with  the  general 
magnificence  of  the  temple,  and  was  in  itself  a triumph 
of  the  founder’s  art.  It  was  fourteen  feet  in  height,  and 
its  weight  exceeded  sixty-three  tons.  On  the  one  side 
it  bore  the  inscription  : “May  the  State  be  peaceful  and 
prosperous,”  and  on  the  other:  “On  the  East  it  wel- 
comes the  bright  moon,  and  on  the  West  it  bids  farewell 
to  the  setting  sun.”  Unfortunately  the  third  and  fourth 
syllables  in  the  first  inscription,  “Kokka  Anko  ” in  the 
original,  though  when  read  in  Sinico-Japanese  gave 
sounds  of  “Ka”  and  “Ko,”  when  pronounced  in  pure 
Japanese  are  read  as  Iyeyasu,  and  the  combined  effect 
of  the  two  inscriptions  was,  Iyeyasu  alleged,  an  offensive 
comparison  between  himself  and  Hideyoshi,  in  which 
Hideyoshi  was  likened  to  the  great  Sun  Goddess  of 
Japan,  and  he  to  the  minor  luminary  of  the  night. 

The  indignation  both  of  Hideyori  and  of  his  mother 
at  this  affront  and  of  the  people,  disappointed  both  of 
their  pleasure  and  the  opportunity  of  displaying  their 
religious  fervour,  was  great,  and  on  the  people’s  part  it 
took  the  form  of  a serious  riot.  A deputation  was  sent 
to  Iyeyasu  of  the  two  leading  citizens  of  Kioto,  accom- 
panied by  two  ladies  to  represent  Hideyori’s  mother,  to 
assure  him  that  no  offence  was  intended;  but  the  old 
recluse  was  implacable.  He  had  determined  to  quarrel 


I YE  Y ASU 


217 


with  Hideyori,  and  he  had  now  found  an  ostensible 
cause,  and,  trivial  as  it  was,  he  determined  to  use  it. 
He  gave  the  deputation  three  conditions  to  take  back 
with  them  on  which  alone  he  was  willing  to  condone  the 
alleged  insult : (i)  That  the  outer  works  of  the  castle  at 
Osaka  should  be  destroyed.  (2)  That  Hideyori  should 
leave  the  castle,  his  father’s  residence,  in  which  he  had 
been  born  and  passed  his  whole  life,  to  which  he  was 
bound  by  every  tie  of  affection  and  interest,  and  reside 
for  the  future  in  another  province.  (3)  That  Hideyori ’s 
mother,  from  whom  he  had  never  been  separated,  by 
whom  he  had  been  wisely  guided  through  all  the  dan- 
gerous times  through  which  he  had  passed,  should  in 
future  reside  in  Yedo,  under  the  direct  eye  of  the 
Shogun,  as  a hostage  for  the  son’s  good  conduct. 

The  castle  of  Osaka  still  exists,  shorn  only  of  its 
donjon  and  outer  works,  and  of  the  great  palace  which 
stood  within  its  walls.  Its  strength  and  situation 
equally  testify  to  the  military  engineering  skill  of  the 
Japanese  in  the  sixteenth  century.  Saris,  one  of  the 
earliest  English  visitors  to  Japan,  described  it,  and  his 
description  in  its  main  points  applies  to  it  at  the  present 
day — 

“A  castle  marvellously  large  and  strong,  with  very  deep 
trenches  about  it  and  many  drawbridges  with  gates  plated 
with  iron.  The  castle  is  built  all  of  free  stone  with  bulwarks 
and  battlements,  with  loopholes  for  small  shot  and  arrows, 
and  divers  passages  from  which  to  cast  stones  upon  the 
assailants.  The  walls  are  at  least  six  to  seven  feet  thick, 
all  of  solid  stone.  The  stones  are  great,  and  cut  so  exactly 
to  fit  the  place  where  they  are  laid  that  no  mortar  is  used.” 

Some  of  the  stones  in  the  wall  measure  forty  by  ten 
feet.  The  outer  moat,  not  now  in  existence,  varied  from 
eighty  to  a hundred  and  twenty  feet  in  width,  and  the 
depth  of  the  water  in  it  from  ten  to  twelve  feet.  Within 
the  castle  was  the  great  palace,  the  most  splendid  that 


218 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


ever  was  built  in  Japan,  “a  wonderfully  costly  house 
gilded  with  gold  in  abundance.” 

The  indignation  aroused  by  Iyeyasu’s  wanton 
arbitrariness  brought  great  additions  to  Hideyori’s 
adherents,  so  much  so  that  room  could  not  be  found  for 
all  in  the  castle,  and  many  were  forced  to  encamp  beyond 
its  walls.  Confident  in  the  impregnable  strength  of  the 
castle,  defended  by  a great  force,  Hideyori  gave  a cate- 
gorical refusal  to  all  Iyeyasu’s  demands.  Both  sides 
then  prepared  for  the  inevitable  test  of  arms,  Hideyori 
laying  in  an  ample  store  of  provisions — there  was  an 
inexhaustible  well,  called  the  “O-gon-sui”  (the  yellow 
metal  water),  within  the  walls — and  Iyeyasu,  mobilizing 
his  army,  and  also,  following  his  usual  methods,  suborn- 
ing the  governor  of  the  castle,  whom  he  promised  to 
create  one  of  the  greatest  lords  in  Japan.  The  governor, 
“being  as  arrant  a cheat  himself,”  promised  faithfully 
to  betray  both  the  castle  and  his  lord.  His  treachery 
was,  however,  discovered  in  time  to  prevent  him  carry- 
ing out  his  designs,  though  not  to  prevent  his  escape 
from  the  castle. 

In  due  course  Iyeyasu’s  army  appeared.  The  castle 
was  invested,  trenches  opened,  and  several  assaults 
made — all  in  vain.  The  garrison  not  only  beat  off  every 
attack,  but  made  several  successful  sallies.  Iyeyasu 
again  had  recourse  to  treachery.  Another  high  officer 
within  the  walls  was  bribed.  On  this  occasion  the 
traitor  was  discovered  in  good  time,  and  Iyeyasu’s 
designs  turned  to  his  own  undoing.  He  was  allowed 
to  remain  in  the  belief  that  nothing  had  gone  wrong, 
and  when  his  men  advanced  in  the  darkness  of  night, 
believing  that  the  gates  would  be  opened  to  them,  the 
defenders  suddenly  fell  on  them  and  drove  them  back 
in  utter  rout  with  enormous  loss. 

Iyeyasu  now  began  to  realize  that  he  had  undertaken 
a task  which  was  beyond  his  power.  His  own  men  were 


IYEYASU 


219 


deserting,  and  his  resources  were  being  taxed  to  the 
utmost.  He  humbled  his  pride  so  far  as  to  send  pro- 
posals for  peace.  Within  the  castle,  the  store  of  pro- 
visions, great  though  it  was,  had  begun  to  run  very 
low,  and  amidst  such  a heterogeneous  garrison,  gathered 
from  all  parts,  treachery  was  also  to  be  feared ; Hideyori, 
on  his  side,  therefore  readily  received  Iyeyasu’s  over- 
tures, and  peace  was  concluded  1 on  the  conditions  that, 
on  the  one  side,  Iyeyasu  should  disband  his  army  and 
interfere  no  more  in  Hideyori’s  affairs,  and  on  the  other, 
that  the  outer  moat  of  the  castle  should  be  destroyed. 

Hideyori  loyally  observed  his  part  of  the  bargain,  and 
the  great  moat  was  filled  up  and  levelled  with  the  ground 
in  three  weeks.  Iyeyasu  was  still  determined  to  destroy 
him,  and  only  withdrew  to  recuperate  his  forces  and 
supplies.  Within  a few  months  the  siege  was  renewed. 
The  castle  was  now  shorn  of  one  of  its  main  defences, 
but  the  garrison  was  still  strong  and  determined,  and  all 
the  first  assaults  were  beaten  off  as  before.  Then  a 
general  assault  of  the  whole  besieging  army  was  ordered. 
It  was  “sharp  and  bloody,”  but  once  more  victory  was 
on  the  side  of  the  defenders.  Iyeyasu’s  whole  army  was 
driven  back,  and  he,  giving  up  all  as  lost,  had  given 
directions  to  his  own  bodyguard  to  strike  off  his  head, 
so  that  it  should  not  fall  into  the  enemy’s  hands.  One 
of  the  strange  transformations  in  the  fortunes  of  war,  of 
which  the  world’s  history,  both  ancient  and  modern, 
gives  so  many  examples,  then  occurred,  and  in  a moment 
defeat  was  turned  into  victory.  A fire  broke  out  within 
the  castle.  Whether  it  was  accidental  or  deliberately 
kindled  by  traitors  has  never  been  disclosed.  Hideyori, 

1 Both  parties  signed  the  compact  in  the  most  solemn  form  that  is 
known  to  Japanese — with  their  blood.  Iyeyasu,  who  had  not  the  least 
intention  of  keeping  it,  compounded  with  his  conscience  in  a fashion 
somewhat  similar  to  that  adopted  by  perjuring  witnesses  in  English 
courts  of  justice  who  kiss  their  thumbs  instead  of  the  book.  He  drew 
the  blood  from  his  ear  instead  of  from  the  gums  as  he  should  have  done. 


220 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


in  the  impetuosity  of  youth,  led  the  pursuit  of  his  beaten 
foes.  Seeing  the  fire,  he  turned  and  galloped  back  at  full 
speed,  and  his  soldiers,  seeing  him  pass,  turned  and  fled 
with  him.  The  besiegers  rallied;  the  pursued,  recovered 
from  their  panic,  became  pursuers,  and,  carrying  all 
before  them,  entered  the  castle  along  with  the  fugitives, 
and  the  great  virgin  fortress  was  at  last  taken.  It  is  not 
known  how  Hideyori  and  his  mother  died.  Neither  was 
ever  seen  again,  though  the  most  diligent  search  was 
made  for  them  after  the  battle.  Two  Jesuit  priests  were 
in  Osaka  throughout  both  sieges,  and,  according  to 
their  reports,  more  than  two  hundred  thousand  men  fell 
on  both  sides  in  the  last  siege  and  capture.  One  of  them 
travelled  “two  whole  days  over  dead  bodies.”  It  was 
one  of  the  most  bloody  struggles  in  the  history  of  Japan. 
The  battle  of  Seki  ga  Hara  confirmed  the  government 
of  the  Empire  by  Iyeyasu.  Osaka  was  taken  on  the 
ist  of  June,  1615,  and  its  fall  insured  the  transmission 
of  Iyeyasu’s  power  to  the  successors  of  his  own  family. 

Iyeyasu  was  now  seventy-three  years  of  age.  He  was 
severely  wounded  in  the  battle,  and  the  consequences  of 
the  wound  at  his  age  were  likely  to  be  serious.  Whether 
it  was  from  his  anger  at  seeing  his  own  life  wras  to  be 
the  penalty  of  his  crowning  mercy,  or  that  he  determined 
to  give  such  a lesson  as  would  prevent  rebellion  in  the 
future,  need  not  be  discussed,  but,  whatever  his  reasons, 
he  now  departed  entirely  from  his  previous  policy. 
Hitherto  he  had  shown  clemency  and  endeavoured  to 
conciliate  his  beaten  foes.  Now  he  exterminated  them. 
Hideyori  left  one  son,  the  child,  not  of  his  wife,  Iyeyasu’s 
granddaughter,  but  of  a concubine,  a boy  of  seven  years 
of  age,  who  was  taken  alive.  The  boy  had  his  father’s 
courage,  and  when  brought  before  Iyeyasu  taunted  him 
with  his  perjury.  He  was  ordered  to  instant  execution 
with  all  the  ignominy  of  a common  criminal. 

Iyeyasu  returned  to  Shidzuoka.  He  never  recovered 


IYEYASU 


221 


from  his  wound,  and  died  on  the  8th  of  March  in  the 
following  year,  leaving  to  his  son  the  legacy  of  a 
government  firmly  established,  with  no  possible  rival 
claimant  throughout  the  entire  Empire. 

In  the  Japanese  Pantheon  there  are  certain  Gods  who 
are  regarded  as  earthly  incarnations  of  Buddha,  and  are 
known  as  Gongen,  and  Temples  in  their  honour  are 
found  everywhere,  both  in  towns  and  villages.  Iyeyasu, 
after  his  death,  was  included  among  them,  and  just  as 
Hideyoshi  is  known  as  Taiko  Sama  or  The  Taiko,  so 
is  Iyeyasu  honoured  in  the  description,  higher  than 
Hideyoshi’s,  because  it  is  divine,  whereas  his  is  only 
earthly,  or  Gongen  Sama,  or  The  Gongen. 

Iyeyasu  was  only  one  of  the  military  adventurers  in 
Japan  who  rose  to  the  highest  authority  in  the  Empire, 
but  he  was  unique  among  all  in  that  he  not  only  founded 
a dynasty  which  lasted  for  268  years,  but  he  ruled  with 
so  strong  a hand  and  was  able  to  transmit  to  his  succes- 
sors a Government  based  on  such  secure  foundations, 
that  both  he  and  they  were  able  to  preserve  unbroken 
peace  throughout  the  entire  Empire  while  their  dynasty 
lasted,  and  to  maintain  as  their  hereditary  and  acknow- 
ledged right  an  authority  and  precedence  that  were 
originally  founded  only  on  military  strength.  Kiyo- 
mori,  Yoritomo,  Nobunaga,  and  Hideyoshi  all  ruled  in 
their  lifetime  as  dictators,  but  none  succeeded  in 
securing  the  continued  succession  of  his  posterity  to  his 
own  dignities.  The  Hojo  contrived  to  hold  the  reins  of 
Government  for  130  years,  and  the  Ashikaga  for  235 
years,  but  both  depended  for  their  influence  entirely  on 
their  military  strength,  and  when  that  failed  them,  both 
families  fell.  The  Hojo,  when  at  the  height  of  their 
power,  maintained  peace  throughout  those  portions  of 
the  Empire  that  were  immediately  under  their  influ- 
ence. The  Ashikaga  failed  even  in  that,  and  in  the  last 
century  of  their  rule  had  only  a shadow  of  authority 


222 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


which  was  contemptuously  disregarded  by  the  great 
feudal  princes,  every  one  of  whom  was  anxious  to 
increase  his  own  fief  at  the  expense  of  his  neighbours, 
and  the  inter-clan  wars  of  these  princes  never  ceased 
to  add  to  the  misery  and  impoverishment  of  the  people. 
For  over  250  years  not  a murmur  was  ever  raised  of 
rebellion  or  even  of  impatience  with  the  Government  of 
the  Tokugawas;  not  a sound  was  heard  of  local  wars 
among  the  territorial  magnates,  all  of  whom  were  the 
equals  in  birth  and  many  but  little  inferior  in  wealth 
and  strength  to  the  family  of  the  Shoguns,  before  whom 
they  were  content  to  bow  their  heads  in  reverential 
homage,  to  whose  mandates  they  rendered  an  unques- 
tioning obedience.  It  was  but  natural  that  they  should  do 
so  while  Iyeyasu  still  lived  and  had  all  the  prestige  of 
his  unbroken  career  of  victory,  and  of  his  acknowledged 
military  genius.  Few — only  one,  perhaps,  his  grandson, 
the  third  Shogun — could  lay  claim  to  even  an  approach 
to  his  ability  or  commanding  strength  of  character, 
and  judging  from  all  the  previous  history  of  Japan,  it 
is  unlikely  that  the  Tokugawas  could  have  succeeded 
where  others  utterly  failed,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
system  of  government  organized  by  the  great  founder 
of  the  dynasty  and  faithfully  followed  by  his  successors, 
a system  which  shows  that  Iyeyasu  was  not  only  a great 
general  and  civil  governor,  but  a constructive  states- 
man of  the  highest  order  of  genius,  able  to  profit  by  all 
the  lessons  of  the  past  in  establishing  a government 
which  would  be  saved  from  the  errors  and  pitfalls  that 
had  been  the  ruin  of  its  predecessors.  During  the  last 
years  of  his  life,  in  the  comparative  leisure  which  he 
enjoyed  in  his  retirement  at  Shidzuoka  in  the  interval 
between  his  abdication  of  the  Shogunate  in  favour  of 
his  son  and  his  last  campaigns  at  Osaka,  he  was  a deep 
student  of  history  and  literature,  and  from  his  studies 
and  his  own  experience  of  life  he  was  able  to  compile 


IYEYASU 


223 


— he  specifically  disclaims  originality  himself — for  the 
benefit  of  his  posterity,  a code  of  moral  and  political 
precepts,  which  he  bequeathed  to  them  as  their  Bible, 
by  which  they  were  to  be  guided  in  their  relations  with 
the  Emperor,  their  own  officials,  the  territorial  mag- 
nates, the  Samurai  and  the  people.  It  is  known  as  the 
“Yuigon”  or  “Legacy”  of  Iyeyasu,  and  that  it  was 
intended  for  the  direct  benefit  of  his  own  successors, 
as  a guide  only  for  them  in  their  conduct  in  the  office 
which  he  designed  to  be  hereditary,  is  shown  by  its  own 
internal  evidence  and  by  the  fact  that  it  was  never 
published  or  known  to  the  people  till  the  dynasty  was 
near  its  fall.  The  original  was  preserved  in  Kioto,  but  a 
copy  was  kept  in  the  Shogun’s  court  in  Yedo,  where 
none  but  the  members  of  the  Gorojiu — council  of  elders 
or  the  cabinet — had  access  to  it.  As  the  manifestation 
of  the  principles  which  guided  Iyeyasu  in  his  own  life, 
as  the  explanation  of  the  social  system  and  of  the  feudal 
life  in  Japan  which  endured  throughout  his  dynasty, 
it  is  full  of  interest. 

The  whole  consists  of  one  hundred  concise  chapters, 
not  arranged  in  any  logical  sequence,  but  each  dealing 
with  one  separate  subject.  Seven  of  them  relate  to  inci- 
dents in  Iyeyasu’s  own  career;  sixteen  contain  moral 
maxims,  and  ten  practical  instructions  for  the  personal 
guidance  of  his  successors  in  the  details  of  their  govern- 
ment. Fourteen  chapters  are  devoted  to  the  peculiar 
privileges  and  duties  of  Samurai.  The  common  people 
are,  however,  not  forgotten,  and  there  are  chapters  deal- 
ing with  marriage,  inheritance  and  adoption,  agricul- 
ture, the  building  of  farm  houses,  the  maintenance  of 
roads  and  villages,  taxation,  and  the  general  care  that 
is  to  be  taken  for  the  welfare  of  the  people  and  to 
prevent  their  oppression  by  the  princes.  Other  chapters 
are  devoted  to  the  succession  to  the  Shogunate ; to  the 
constitution  of  the  executive;  to  the  freedom  of  religion, 


224 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


“always  excepting  the  false  and  corrupt  school”  of 
Christianity;  to  criminal  law,  punishments  and  rewards; 
to  precedence  among  the  Daimios ; and  to  the  main- 
tenance of  the  castles  of  the  Shoguns. 

“The  married  state  is  the  great  relation  of  mankind,” 
and  there  are  therefore  chapters  enjoining  marriage  at 
the  age  of  sixteen  years;  providing  for  adoption  in  the 
case  of  childlessness,  so  as  to  insure  the  continuity  of 
the  family;  defining  the  mutual  spheres  of  husband  and 
wife ; regulating  concubinage  and  the  relation  of  the 
wife  to  the  concubine,  and  prescribing  the  penalties  for 
adultery.  The  basis  of  all  piety  in  the  national  morality 
was  the  respect  due  by  children  to  their  parents  or 
elders,  by  vassals  to  their  lords,  by  servants  to  their 
masters.  Iyeyasu  advises  his  successors  that  the  same 
Heaven  cannot  cover  a man  and  the  murderer  (direct 
or  indirect)  of  father,  mother,  elder  brother,  master  or 
lord,  and  that  vengeance  is  a sacred  duty.  But  this 
principle  might  possibly  be  made  a pretext  for  wanton 
murder,  or  if  recklessly  carried  out  might  disturb  the 
public  peace.  Notice  must  therefore  be  given  to  the 
proper  authorities  of  the  intention  to  perform  this  duty, 
else  the  avenger  too  may  be  treated  as  a criminal.  And 
when  a servant  or  a vassal  attempts  to  or  kills  master  or 
lord,  his  guilt  is  so  great  that  it  extends  to  all  his  rela- 
tions, and  all  must  be  destroyed  with  him,  not  by  master 
or  lord,  but  by  the  public  officers  of  justice. 

History  showed  that  the  Hojo  regents  and  the  Ashi- 
kaga  Shoguns  brought  upon  themselves  the  odium  of 
posterity  by  the  want  of  reverence  which,  in  the  intoxi- 
cation of  their  own  military  pride,  they  displayed  to- 
wards the  Emperors,  the  Sons  of  Heaven,  to  whom  alone 
they  owed  all  their  legal  authority,  and  also  that  their 
insolent  domination,  when  at  the  height  of  their  power, 
over  the  territorial  princes,  who  were  their  own  equals 
in  rank,  and  the  hatred  and  jealousy  which  it  provoked, 


IYEYASU 


225 


contributed  to  their  ultimate  downfall.  Iyeyasu  warned 
his  successors  against  both  errors.  They  were  not  only 
to  provide  for  the  necessary  expenditure  of  the  Emperor 
on  special  occasions,  such  as  accession  to  the  throne  or 
great  national  festivals,  but  always  to  display  a rever- 
ential homage,  not  only  to  the  Emperor,  but  to  the 
Imperial  princes,  and  the  nobles  of  the  Imperial  Court, 
the  Kuge — who  all  shared  in  the  prestige  of  the 
Imperial  divinity.  To  the  Samurai,  among  whom  the 
Daimios  are  included,  they  were  in  like  manner  enjoined 
to  act  with  courtesy,  to  avoid  oppression  and  injustice, 
but  at  the  same  time  they  were  to  select  their  principal 
ministers  and  officers  only  from  those  Daimios  whose 
relationship  or  long  connection  with  the  Tokugawas 
ensured  their  unchanging  fidelity.  Prior  to  Iyeyasu’s 
time,  the  territorial  princes  were  divided  into  two  classes 
— the  Daimios  (great  names),  who  were  either  princes 
of  whole  provinces  (Kokushu)  or  of  territories  that  did 
not  comprise  an  entire  province  (Riyoshu),  and  Shomios 
(small  names),  or  lords  of  castles  (Joshu).  He  altered 
this  division  into  those  of  Fudai  and  Tozama,  the  former 
being  the  territorial  princes  who  pledged  themselves 
and  their  fealty  to  him  before  his  final  triumph  at  the 
taking  of  Osaka,  and  the  latter  those  who  only  did  so 
after  Hideyori’s  death  removed  the  last  of  the  possible 
rivals  to  his  future  career.  From  the  former  he  directed 
that  all  the  principal  ministers  and  officers  of  the 
Government  should  be  exclusively  chosen.  The  whole 
prosperity  of  the  Empire  depended  upon  the  continued 
preservation  of  peace  that  it  might  recover  all  that  had 
been  lost  in  the  long  civil  wars.  It  was  to  be  his  suc- 
cessor’s main  object  to  secure  that  peace,  and  they  could 
only  do  so  by  assisting  the  people;  by  treating  the 
Samurai  courteously  but  firmly,  not  being  too  apt  to 
view  as  crimes  what  might  be  only  trivial  faults  or  even 
differences  of  opinion ; by  preventing  malfeasance  on 
Q 


226 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


the  part  of  the  officials,  and  selecting  them  with  wise 
consideration  of  their  merits  and  qualifications;  by 
themselves  setting  the  example  of  observing  the  laws  of 
industry  and  sober  lives;  by  a just  distribution  both  of 
rewards  and  punishments;  by  pursuing  and  sternly 
punishing  those  guilty  of  heinous  crimes;  above  all, 
perhaps,  by  carefully  preserving  harmony  between  the 
lord  and  vassal,  between  the  Emperor  and  Shogun,  the 
Shogun  and  the  Daimios,  and  between  all  the  people. 
These  were  the  leading  principles  which  were  the 
foundation  of  Iyeyasu’s  own  successful  rule,  and  by 
them  he  hoped  that  his  successors  would  be  for  ever 
guided.1 

1 The  full  translation  of  the  legacy  of  Iyeyasu  is  given  in  Appendix  V. 


CHAPTER  XIII 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  THE  FIRST  PERSECUTION 

Our  story  has  hitherto  concerned  itself  only  with  the 
Japanese  people.  We  have  now  to  tell  that  of  the  inter- 
course between  Europe  and  Old  Japan.  Religion  and 
trade  were  so  closely  associated  and  so  intertwined  that  it 
is  difficult  to  tell  the  story  of  one  entirely  independently 
of  the  other,  but  we  shall  endeavour  to  discriminate 
between  them  and  to  tell  each  in  its  proper  place.  First 
we  shall  take  that  of  religion.  What  we  shall  tell  of  it 
will  be  in  the  main  condensed  from  the  History  of  the 
Church  in  Japan,  a work  to  which  we  have  already 
referred  and  from  which  we  have  made  many  quotations, 
in  which  the  missionary  labours  of  the  Fathers  are 
modestly  described  without  undue  laudation  or  magnifi- 
cation of  what  they  did  or  suffered.  Its  narrative  bears 
throughout  a strong  impress  of  the  truth,  but  we  shall 
tell  nothing  that  has  not  been  amply  confirmed  by  the 
results  of  the  researches  of  modern  European  scholars 
in  the  Japanese  annals  of  the  time,  and  horrible  though  it 
is  in  many  of  its  details,  what  we  shall  tell  of  it  in  this 
chapter  may  be  accepted  as  the  faithful  and  unvarnished 
story  of  what  actually  occurred,  nothing  but  the  truth,  if 
not  the  whole  of  the  painful  truth. 

In  the  year  1543,  a Japanese  rich  and  well  born,  about 
thirty-five  years  of  age,  arrived  at  Malacca  in  a Portu- 
guese ship  from  Japan.  There  he  met  Francis  Xavier, 
the  great  Jesuit  missionary,  perhaps  the  greatest  mis- 
sionary the  world  has  seen  since  St.  Paul,  then  in  the 
q 2 227 


228 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


full  tide  of  his  proselytizing  career  in  the  Far  East,  by 
whom  he  was  converted  to  Christianity.  The  disciple 
also  in  a sense  converted  the  apostle.  Xavier  was  so 
interested  in  what  he  was  told  of  Japan  that  he  deter- 
mined to  visit  it  himself,  notwithstanding  the  strong 
protestations  of  his  co-religionists  in  Goa  and  Malacca, 
both  priests  and  converts,  against  his  abandonment  of 
the  great  but  unfinished  work  which  he  was  success- 
fully carrying  on  in  the  Portuguese  colonies,  in  order 
to  undertake  a hazardous  journey,  through  unknown  and 
dangerous  seas,  infested  with  pirates,  to  a still  more 
unknown  country,  of  whose  language  and  people  he  was 
equally  ignorant. 

The  great  missionary  felt  that  God  had  given  him  a 
new  field  which  it  was  his  duty  to  cultivate,  and  having 
bid  farewell  to  his  friends  and  disciples,  he  sailed  from 
Goa,  and  after  a long  voyage  arrived  at  Malacca. 

There  he  took  passage  in  a Chinese  junk,  the  master 
of  which  was  a notorious  pirate,  and  sailed  for  Japan  on 
the  24th  of  June,  1549.  The  voyage  fully  justified  all  the 
forecasts  of  its  dangers,  but  it  was  happily  completed, 
and  Xavier  landed  at  Kagoshima  on  the  Feast  of  the 
Assumption  in  the  same  year.  He  was  accompanied  by 
two  other  priests,  Cosmo  de  Torres  and  John  Fernandez, 
the  former  “one  of  the  greatest  wits  and  learned’st  men 
of  his  time,”  and  by  the  converted  Japanese,  who  was 
now  known  by  his  new  baptismal  name,  Paul  Saint  Foy, 
Paul  of  the  Holy  Faith,  who,  in  his  stay  at  Goa,  had 
learned  to  speak  and  write  Portuguese.  Kagoshima  hap- 
pened to  be  Saint  Foy’s  birthplace.  The  Prince  of 
Satsuma,  then  in  the  very  plenitude  of  his  prosperity, 
learning  of  their  arrival,  at  once  sent  for  Saint  Foy,  by 
whom  Xavier  was  soon  presented  to  him. 

Their  stay  at  Kagoshima  lasted  little  over  a year. 
The  Prince  and  his  mother  were  both  interested  and 
impressed  by  what  they  heard  from  Xavier,  and  a hun- 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  FIRST  PERSECUTION  229 


dred  converts  were  made  by  his  exhortations,  interpreted 
by  Saint  Foy,  who  afterwards  remained  firm  in  their 
faith  through  all  trials,  but  the  native  priests  so  worked 
upon  the  conscience  of  the  Prince,  holding  out  to  him 
the  perils  he  incurred  by  forsaking  the  Gods  of  his 
ancestors  at  the  bidding  of  three  foreign  beggars,  that 
he  forbade  his  people  to  become  Christians  under  dire 
penalties.  Xavier  accordingly  left  Kagoshima  and  went 
to  Hirado,  then  the  chief  seat  of  the  foreign  trade  of 
Japan.  Some  Portuguese  ships  happened  to  be  in  har- 
bour when  he  arrived,  and  the  Japanese,  always  suscep- 
tible to  outward  pomp  and  show,  were  astounded  to  see 
the  ships  decked  and  salutes  fired  to  the  accompaniment 
of  bugles,  in  honour  of  a poor  priest  in  an  old  threadbare 
cassock,  and  the  richly  dressed  Portuguese  officers  con- 
duct him  with  every  mark  of  deference  to  the  palace  of 
the  local  Prince. 

A mission  was  established  at  Hirado,  and  leaving  De 
Torres  in  charge  of  it,  Xavier  set  out  for  Kioto,  to  obtain 
the  licence  of  the  Emperor  and  Shogun  to  preach  the 
Gospel  in  all  Japan.  Fernandez  and  a Japanese  Chris- 
tian accompanied  him.  They  passed  by  Yamaguchi,  the 
capital  of  Mori,  the  Prince  of  Choshiu  and  the  Western 
Provinces,  where  they  abode  a month,  and  then  started 
for  Kioto.  The  land  journey  from  Yamaguchi  to  Kioto 
is  little  over  300  miles,  but  they  were  three  months  upon 
the  road.  It  was  midwinter,  the  most  inclement 
season  of  the  year,  and  they  had  neither  money  nor 
guides. 

“These  three  servants  of  God  made  their  journey  in  this 
hard  season,  and  these  rough  ways,  commonly  barefoot, 
having  to  pass  rivers  and  torrents,  which  sometimes  over- 
flow the  plains ; besides,  they  were  ill  provided  with  warm 
clothes  to  resist  the  inclemencies  of  the  air ; they  were  also 
laden  with  their  necessary  equipage ; and  thus  they  travelled 
without  any  other  Supports  of  Life,  than  a little  rice  roasted 


230 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


or  dried  by  the  fire,  which  Bernard  carried  in  his  sleeve 
by  way  of  a Wallet,  so  that  they  were  forced  to  take  up 
at  night  at  the  first  place  they  met,  both  , weary,  wet  and 
spent  for  want  of  food ; happy  when  they  could  light  on 
some  forsaken  hut  to  shelter  them  in  the  night  from  wind 
and  rain ; for  being  extremely  poor,  the  people  looked  upon 
them  with  contempt  and  refused  them  lodging. 

“That  which  gave  them  the  greatest  trouble  was  the  want 
of  guides,  for  they  continually  lost  their  ways,  and  knew 
not  what  path  to  follow;  being  one  day  lost  in  a forest  they 
met  a horseman,  who  was  going  towards  Kioto.  Xavier 
followed  him,  and  offered  to  carry  his  mail  if  he  would  con- 
duct them  through  the  forest.  The  horseman  accepted  his 
offer,  but  trotted  on  at  a round  rate,  so  that  the  Saint  was 
constrained  to  run  after  him  over  flints  and  thorns,  which 
tore  his  feet,  and  this  fatigue  lasted  almost  all  the  day.” 

In  February  1551,  they  at  last  reached  Kioto.  It  was 
a time  of  the  utmost  disorder.  The  Ashikaga  Shoguns 
were  drawing  to  their  fall,  and  the  capital,  wasted  by 
fires  and  war,  was  a daily  scene  of  riot  and  broils  between 
rival  clansmen.  Xavier,  who  had  by  this  time  acquired 
some  experience  in  the  language,  tried  to  preach  in  the 
public  places  of  the  city,  but  no  one  had  leisure  or  in- 
clination to  listen  to  him.  His  keen  perception  aided 
him  in  learning  that  the  Emperor  had  no  real  authority 
at  all,  and  that  the  effective  authority  of  the  Shogun  did 
not  extend  beyond  the  Go  Kinai,  the  five  provinces 
around  the  capital.  Their  licence  to  preach  would  be 
useless  for  the  rest  of  the  country ; preaching  was  equally 
useless  in  Kioto  in  its  present  condition,  so  it  was  aban- 
doned to  wait  for  better  times  and  the  mission  resumed 
at  Yamaguchi.  Here,  and  later  in  Bungo,  Xavier  and 
his  fellow  workers  met  with  success  that  made  ample 
amends  for  the  failure  at  Kioto,  and  not  only  was  a 
knowledge  of  the  Gospel  widely  spread,  but  converts 
were  made  in  every  class  in  life.  Letters  earnestly  im- 
ploring his  return  to  the  Indies  now  came  to  him,  so 
earnest  that  he  could  no  longer  resist  them,  and  having 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  FIRST  PERSECUTION  231 


founded  his  mission  in  Japan,  having  made  the  first 
converts  and  seen  that  the  great  work  was  fully  organ- 
ized, he  sailed  from  Bungo  about  the  end  of  November 
1551.  He  took  with  him  two  natives  whom  he  wished 
to  send  to  Rome  as  the  firstfruits  of  the  Church  of 
Japan.  One  died  on  the  way  at  Goa,  the  other — the 
same  who  had  accompanied  him  on  his  pilgrimage  to 
Kioto — reached  Rome  and  afterwards  entered  the  Jesuit 
College  at  Coimbra,  where  he  also  died.  Xavier  him- 
self died  at  Chang  Cheung,  a little  island  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Canton  River,  on  the  2nd  of  December,  1552, 
when,  after  a visit  to  his  beloved  Church  at  Goa,  “having 
brought  the  East  under  the  sweet  yoke  of  Jesus  Christ,” 
he  was  on  the  point  of  embarking  on  a new  missionary 
enterprise  in  China. 

De  Torres  and  Fernandez  remained  to  carry  on  the 
work  in  Japan,  and  now  that  the  new  field  was  known 
in  Europe,  a steady  stream  of  able  and  ardent  Jesuit 
missionaries,  full  of  zeal  and  devotion,  began  to  flow  to 
it.  Three,  Balthazar  Gago,  Lalcaceva,  and  Da  Silva, 
accompanied  Xavier  when  on  his  way  to  Canton,  and 
left  him  at  Malacca  for  Japan,  where  they  arrived  in 
August  1552.  They  were  followed,  three  years  later,  by 
Melchior  Nunez,  the  Provincial  of  the  Indies,  Gaspar 
Villela  and  other  priests,  all  of  whom  were  richly  pro- 
vided with  funds  for  their  future  work  by  Mendez  Pinto, 
the  Portuguese  merchant  adventurer,  who  was  one  of 
the  earliest  Europeans  to  visit  Japan,  and  who  made  a 
fortune  in  trading  between  the  Indies  and  China  and 
Japan.  The  work  now  rapidly  spread.  Bungo,  where 
Xavier  had  his  greatest  success,  was  the  centre,  but 
during  the  next  fifteen  years  Churches  were  founded  at 
such  widely  separated  places  as  Kioto  and  the  Goto 
Islands;  Sakai,  the  port  of  Kioto,  and  Yamaguchi; 
Hakata  and  Shimabara,  and  the  converts  included 
feudal  Princes  and  their  ladies,  courtiers,  the  flower 


232 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


of  the  nobility,  officers  of  high  rank,  soldiers  and 
people.  “The  Church  was  now  like  a vine  that  spreads 
its  branches  on  all  sides,  breathing  out  in  its  flowers  a 
sweet  odour  of  sanctity  among  the  heathen.”  The 
internal  conditions  of  Japan  had  now  changed.  Nobu- 
naga  was  at  the  zenith  of  his  fame  and  might,  and  had 
made  up  his  mind  to  break  the  military  power  of  the 
Buddhist  priests.  He  saw  what  a factor  the  Christian 
missionaries  would  be  in  undermining  their  religious 
influence,  and  he  therefore  gave  the  Christians  full 
licence  to  preach  their  gospel  in  every  place  where  his 
own  influence  extended,  more  especially  in  the  very 
hearts  of  the  chief  Buddhist  strongholds.  “Buddhism,” 
he  said,  “had  been  introduced  from  abroad,  and  he  saw 
no  reason  why  obstacles  should  be  thrown  in  the  way 
of  another  foreign  religion.”  He  gave  very  practical 
illustration  of  his  liberality  by  permitting  the  erection 
of  a church  in  his  own  city  of  Azuchi,  at  the  very  door 
of  the  great  temple  which  he  built  for  his  own  deification. 
The  opposition  of  the  Buddhist  priests  was  bitter,  though 
there  were  converts  even  from  their  ranks.  They  stirred 
up  frequent  riots  in  the  two  important  fiefs  of  Omura  and 
Arima,  revolutions  in  which  churches  were  destroyed 
and  the  Fathers  in  imminent  danger,  but  still  converts 
came  in  abundance,  and  there  were  now  also  Japanese 
priests  of  the  Church  who  were  no  less  zealous  propa- 
gandists than  the  Fathers  themselves.  Ladies  of  high 
birth  also  took  the  holy  vows  and  gave  their  lives  and 
services  to  the  Church  as  nuns. 

After  Nobunaga’s  death  in  1582,  Hideyoshi  for  a few 
years  pursued  Nobunaga’s  policy  of  toleration,  though 
he  had  never  sympathized  with  it.  At  first  he  even 
exceeded  Nobunaga  in  marked  courtesy  to  the  heads  of 
the  Church.  He  permitted  the  ladies  of  the  Court,  maids 
of  honour  to  his  wives,  who  were  Christians,  whose 
modesty  and  piety  particularly  impressed  him,  to  attend 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  FIRST  PERSECUTION  233 


Mass,  and  hinted  that  he  himself  would  become  a Chris- 
tian were  it  not  for  its  inhibition  of  one  of  the  great 
frailties  of  human  nature,  common  to  Princes  of  all 
lands  and  all  ages,  in  which  Hideyoshi  himself  par- 
ticularly indulged.  In  1587,  thirty-eight  years  from 
Xavier’s  landing  in  Japan,  “the  Church  was  grown  so 
fair  and  flourishing  that  one  might  well  compare  it  to 
an  orange-tree  laden  on  all  sides  with  fruit  and  blossom. 
It  was  a ship  under  full  sail,  driven  by  the  wind  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  daily  discovering  new  places  and  countries.” 
There  were  more  than  200,000  Christians.  Then  a new 
and  unfortunate  condition  was  created  for  which  the 
Christians  were  themselves  in  some  degree  to  blame. 

Four  causes  are  assigned  by  the  Jesuit  Fathers  for 
the  sudden  change  which  took  place  in  Hideyoshi’s 
demeanour  towards  them,  which  made  him  the  Nero 
instead  of  the  protector  of  the  Church.  First,  the  dis- 
solute conduct  of  the  Portuguese  merchants  and  sailors 
in  Japan,  so  much  at  variance  both  with  the  lives  of 
the  priests  and  the  doctrine  preached  by  them.  They 
spent  days  and  nights  in  debaucheries,  and  when  the 
Fathers  reprehended  them,  they  put  into  other  ports  at 
which  the  Fathers  had  no  residence,  where  they  con- 
tinued to  give  the  most  unrestrained  licence  to  their 
passions.  This  cause  will  read  strangely  when  in  juxta- 
position with  the  next.  Hideyoshi’s  own  reason  for  not 
adopting  Christianity  has  just  been  stated.  He  was  mar- 
ried no  less  than  six  times,  but  he  maintained  a seraglio 
of  nearly  300  women  at  Osaka.  He  was  always  adding 
to  them,  and  as  he  could  not  carry  them  with  him  on  his 
various  military  expeditions,  he  required  that  others 
should  be  provided  for  him  in  every  place  to  which  he 
came.  A Buddhist  priest  who  had  forsaken  the  priest- 
hood and  become  a physician,  whose  name  is  given  as 
Hiakunin,  was  his  principal  servitor  in  these  delicate 
matters,  and  this  person  made  it  his  business  to  search 


234 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


out  everywhere  fair  and  beautiful  ladies  and  none,  no 
matter  what  their  rank,  dare  resist  him.  But  his  pro- 
posals were  indignantly  rejected  by  the  Christian  ladies 
in  Arima,  and  furious  not  only  at  his  failure,  but  at  the 
reproaches  which  the  ladies  heaped  on  him  for  such  vile 
traffic  on  the  part  of  one  who  had  been  a priest,  he  used 
all  his  influence  to  inflame  Hideyoshi’s  anger  against 
the  Christians  in  general,  and  especially  at  the  greatest 
convert  that  had  yet  come  within  the  fold  of  the  Church, 
Takayama  Ukon,  one  of  Hideyoshi’s  most  distinguished 
and  favourite  generals,  the  one  who  defeated  the  traitor, 
Akechi,  the  murderer  of  Nobunaga.  Lastly,  Hideyoshi’s 
abnormal  vanity  was  offended  in  two  ways.  A Portu- 
guese ship  of  more  than  the  ordinary  tonnage  had  just 
arrived  at  Hirado.  Hideyoshi,  curious  to  see  it,  ordered 
that  it  should  be  brought  to  the  port  of  Hakata,  where 
he  was  at  the  time,  but  as  this  harbour  would  not  admit 
the  entry  of  so  large  a vessel,  deeply  laden,  the  captain 
was  obliged  to  refuse,  which  he  did  with  every  possible 
courtesy.  Hideyoshi  none  the  less  considered  the  refusal 
an  affront.  A still  greater  and  a continuing  affront  was 
the  obstacle  which  he  saw  Christianity  must  always  be 
to  his  own  deification,  the  great  object  of  his  ambition, 
as  one  of  the  national  heroes  of  Japan. 

The  combined  result  of  all  these  causes  of  offence  to 
Hideyoshi  was  an  order  to  the  Fathers  to  leave  Japan 
within  twenty  days,  and  an  absolute  prohibition  of  any 
further  preaching  of  the  Gospel  on  pain  of  death. 

So  far  we  have  told  the  story  of  the  change  of  Hide- 
yoshi’s attitude  to  Christianity  and  the  origin  of  the 
persecution  entirely  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  Jesuit 
Fathers,  but  there  is  another  side  to  it.  Xavier  and  his 
companions  came  to  Japan  in  all  outward  humility, 
poor  in  dress  and  in  means  of  subsistence,  and,  as  will 
be  seen  from  what  has  been  told  of  their  early  work  and 
experience,  presenting  to  the  Japanese  only  the  aspects 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  FIRST  PERSECUTION  235 


of  the  humblest  of  the  poor.  It  was  not  long  before 
their  successors,  flushed  with  their  great  triumphs,  began 
to  adopt  a very  different  attitude  and  to  claim  the  rank 
and  all  its  privileges  which  they  had  enjoyed  in  their 
own  countries,  where  they  had  all  the  terrors  of  the 
Inquisition  to  support  them.  The  Buddhist  priests  were 
never  more  active  and  implacable  foes  to  the  Catholic 
missionaries  than  the  missionaries  showed  themselves, 
when  they  felt  sure  of  their  influence,  to  the  priests,  a 
fact  for  which  there  is  no  need  to  have  recourse  for  its 
confirmation  to  native  sources,  whether  Buddhist  or 
otherwise.  It  is  fully  shown  in  the  History  of  the 
Church.  The  Princes  of  Arima,  Omura,  Amakusa  and 
Bungo  were  among  the  earliest  converts.  There  is  no 
need  to  question  the  sincerity  of  the  conversion  in  any 
of  these  cases,  and  in  some  the  fullest  proof  was  given  of 
it  in  the  days  of  the  persecution  when  the  Princes 
suffered  loss  of  rank,  property  and  life  rather  than  abjure 
their  faith.  But  the  conversion  had  its  material  as  well 
as  its  spiritual  benefits.  In  each  case  the  seaports  of 
the  fiefs  of  the  converted  princes  became  seats  of 
foreign  trade  with  all  its  huge  profits,  and  still  more 
with  the  means  of  furnishing  an  unlimited  supply  of 
firearms,  of  the  latest  pattern,  and  gunpowder,  both 
valuable  acquisitions  at  a period  of  universal  civil  war, 
when  the  authority  of  the  Central  Government  was 
scarcely  felt  in  the  remote  provinces,  when  every  feudal 
prince’s  hands  were  directed  against  his  neighbour, 
when  estates  could  only  be  retained  or  added  to  by 
military  force.  And  when  the  princes  were  converted 
it  was  not  a difficult  matter  to  induce  their  feudal  sub- 
jects to  follow  their  example.  Persecution  was,  in  fact, 
originated  by  the  Fathers  themselves.  They  tell  exult- 
ingly  of  how  one  prince  destroyed  great  temples  which 
had  existed  for  centuries  and  idols  which  were  ancient 
works  of  art,  and  drove  the  Buddhist  priests  headlong 


236 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


from  his  territories  : how  others  ordered  all,  whether  lay 
of  cleric,  who  were  not  Christians  to  leave  their  dominions, 
forsaking  home  and  property ; and  all  these  steps  were 
taken  under  the  Fathers’  influence,  if  not  at  their  in- 
stigation. Two  quotations  from  the  History  of  the 
Church  will  serve  to  illustrate  both  the  original  spirit  of 
the  converted  princes  and  the  means  they  took  to  testify 
their  zeal — 

“The  Prince  of  Omura  wrote  to  Father  Torres  and 
promised  if  he  would  send  over  some  of  his  Religious,  that 
he  would  both  build  a Church  and  give  them  a sufficient  fund 
for  maintaining  them  and  all  others  who  came  thither  on 
that  same  account.  Secondly,  that  he  would  give  the 
Portuguese  a seaport,  free  from  all  taxes  and  customs, 
with  all  the  fiefs  belonging  to  it  for  two  leagues  about,  and 
not  let  any  heathen  remain  there  without  the  Father’s 
express  leave.  Moreover,  on  condition  the  Portuguese 
landed  in  the  same  port,  he  was  resolved  to  exempt  them 
and  all  others  that  trafficked  with  them  from  all  duties 
and  imports  belonging  to  the  Crown  for  ten  years  together.” 

“The  divine  spirit  inspired  the  Prince  with  such  horror 
of  the  Heathenish  superstitions,  that  he  could  not  hold  from 
persecuting  them.  The  Japanese  adore  an  idol  called 
Hachiman,  the  God  of  War,  and  this  idol  wears  an  helmet 
with  a spread  cock  for  the  crest.  The  Princes  being  for 
the  most  part  at  variance,  they  pay  particular  honour  to 
this  God,  and  never  enter  upon  a war  before  they  consult 
this  idol  about  the  event.  When  the  armies  make  their 
rendezvous,  the  Troops  constantly  pass  by  this  temple,  and 
every  soldier  makes  a profound  reverence  to  the  Idol,  lays 
down  his  arms  and  kisses  the  Standard  for  a sign  of  respect 
and  submission.  The  Prince  coming  before  this  temple, 
commanded  his  Army  to  make  a halt,  and  in  great  trans- 
ports of  zeal,  ordered  them  to  break  down  the  idol  and 
drag  it  about  the  streets ; then  drawing  his  sword  he  struck 
at  the  Cock  and  helmet,  and  never  ceased  until  he  had  cut 
off  the  head.  His  zeal  did  not  stop  here,  for  he  made  them 
in  conclusion  burn  both  the  idol  and  the  temple ; then 
erecting  a Cross,  he  prostrated  himself  before  it,  and  the 
whole  army  did  the  same  after  his  example;  he  afterwards 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  FIRST  PERSECUTION  237 


dispatched  some  squadrons  throughout  the  Kingdom  to  ruin 
all  the  idols  and  temples,  without  any  regard  to  the  Priests’ 
rage,  which  so  much  frightened  him  before  baptism.” 

If  the  lower  classes  yielded  readily  to  the  orders  of 
their  princes  to  become  Christians,  they  showed  a very 
different  aspect  afterwards  in  the  dark  days  of  the 

Church.  Few,  when  persecution  came,  abandoned  their 
faith  under  the  most  horrible  tortures  that  were  only 
ended  by  death. 

Kaempfer  states — and  it  is  to  be  remembered  that, 
hostile  as  he  was  to  the  Portuguese  and  their  religion, 
his  history  was  written  long  after  both  had  been  finally 
driven  from  Japan,  and  when  there  was  no  material 
benefit  to  be  gained  by  libelling  either — that  the  haughty 
conduct  of  the  priests,  and  their  refusal  to  pay  the 
ordinary  marks  of  respect  to  the  great  men  of  the 

Empire,  contributed  not  a little  to  Hideyoshi’s  anger 
against  them — 

“ I was  told  by  an  old  Japanese,  that  the  following  in- 
cident, with  many  more  of  the  like  nature,  very  much 
incensed  the  Emperor,  and  hastened  his  resolution  to  let 
the  proud  Portuguese  feel  the  effects  of  his  displeasure. 
Taiko,1  to  be  nearer  at  hand  to  second  his  expedition  into 
Korea,  set  up  his  Court  and  residence  for  some  time  at 
Hakata.  One  day  a Portuguese  priest  meeting  upon  the 
road  one  of  the  principal  Counsellors  of  state  on  his  way 

to  Court,  caused  himself  to  be  carried  by  without  alighting 

from  his  chair,  as  is  usual  in  the  country,  nay,  indeed, 
without  showing  him  so  much  as  common  marks  of  respect 
and  civility.” 

It  is  not  difficult  to  imagine  how  conduct  such  as  this, 
wanting  even  in  the  elements  of  ordinary  courtesy,  must 
have  inflamed  the  anger  of  the  nobility  of  a nation  where 
politeness  is  the  universal  rule  and  the  most  profound 

1 Hideyoshi.  Taiko  was  the  title  given  to  the  Kuambaku  after  his 
retirement.  Hideyoshi  is  best  known  in  history  as  Taiko  Sama,  the 
Taiko,  the  greatest  of  all  who  ever  held  the  title  (see  pages  191  and  221). 
By  “the  Emperor”  in  this  quotation  is  meant  Hideyoshi. 


238 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


respect  is  manifested  in  public  to  both  rank  and  office. 
The  priests,  in  fact,  forgot  that  they  were  in  Japan  and 
not  in  their  own  country,  and  their  doing  so  no  doubt 
was  one  of  the  contributory  causes  of  all  their  later 
sufferings. 

Both  Fathers  and  native  Christians  were  overwhelmed 
by  the  totally  unexpected  blow  which  had  fallen  on 
them,  as  surprising  to  the  non-Christian  Japanese  as 
it  was  to  themselves.  Both  behaved  with  the  most 
admirable  prudence  and  fortitude  in  their  hour  of 
trial.  A conference  of  all  the  Fathers,  seventy  in 
number,  was  held,  and  they  all  met  at  Hirado  in 
August  1587.  They  decided  to  pray  that  Hideyoshi’s 
heart  should  be  softened ; that,  if  the  prayers  were  not 
answered,  the  Fathers  should  remain  at  their  posts  even 
to  the  sacrifice  of  their  lives;  that  they  should  in  future 
hold  their  services  and  carry  on  their  mission  in  private, 
as  was  done  in  heretical  countries  in  Europe,  and  do 
nothing  to  cause  open  offence;  and  that  they  should 
prepare  themselves  by  prayer  and  mortification  to  suffer 
torments  or  death  for  the  Holy  Faith.  As  for  the  con- 
verts, though  they  were  threatened  with  death  or  banish- 
ment, not  a soul  wavered.  Takayama,  great  general 
and  feudal  prince,  was  ordered  to  renounce  his  religion 
or  forfeit  both  office  and  property.  He  chose  poverty 
for  himself  and  all  that  were  dear  to  him,  and  his 
example  was  followed  by  hundreds  of  others,  both  men 
and  women.  Two  exceptions  were  made  in  the  general 
persecution.  Konishi  Yukinaga,  afterwards  the  con- 
queror of  Korea,  and  Kuroda  Yoshitaka  were  both 
generals  and  devoted  Christians.  Dreading  to  add  to 
the  heavy  loss  which  he  suffered  by  dismissing  Taka- 
yama, Hideyoshi  was  obliged  to  dissemble  his  anger  in 
their  case.  Both  were  retained  in  their  rank  and  offices, 
and  both,  through  the  personal  influence  which  they 
exercised  on  Hideyoshi,  were  afterwards  able  to  render 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  FIRST  PERSECUTION  239 


great  services  to  the  Christians.  The  blow  was  not  so 
heavy  in  its  fall  as  in  its  threats.  The  Fathers  all  took 
refuge  in  the  territories  of  Christian  feudatories,  where 
they  were  kindly  treated,  and  pursued  their  work  in  the 
secrecy  they  had  enjoined  upon  themselves.  Churches 
were  ruthlessly  levelled  to  the  ground,  and  there  were 
some  instances  of  converts  who  lost  their  lives  for  the 
faith,  but  within  a few  years  an  incident  occurred  which 
gave  brighter  prospects. 

In  1582  the  Princes  of  Arima,  Bungo  and  Omura, 
all  converts,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  Fathers  dispatched 
a mission  to  the  Pope  of  four  nobly  born  youths.  The 
mission,  which  was  accompanied  by  Father  Valignani, 
the  Provincial  of  the  Order  in  Japan,  arrived  in  Rome 
in  1585,  and  they  were  received  with  every  mark  of  high 
honour  by  Pope  Gregory  XIII  and  generally  feted  in 
the  capital.  On  reaching  Goa  on  their  return  journey, 
accompanied  both  by  Father  Valignani  and  seventeen 
new  missionaries  of  the  Church,  they  heard  of  the  perse- 
cution. The  priests  were  in  doubt  as  to  whether  they 
should  proceed  or  not,  but  Father  Valignani,  having 
received  a letter  from  the  Viceroy  of  the  Indies  accredit- 
ing him  as  ambassador  to  Japan,  they  decided  to  do  so, 
and  continuing  with  the  mission,  finally  arrived  at  Naga- 
saki on  the  2 1 st  of  July,  1590,  Valignani  and  the  Japanese 
having  thus  been  absent  for  eight  years.  Before  con- 
tinuing our  narrative  we  may  turn  aside  for  a moment 
to  relate  an  incident  only  indirectly  connected  with  our 
subject. 

The  island  of  Amakusa,  a small  island  in  the  south 
of  Kiushiu,  covering  the  entrance  to  the  Shimabara 
Gulf,  was  the  fief  of  a prince  who  was  numbered  among 
the  Christians.  He  revolted  against  Hideyoshi,  not  as 
a Christian,  but  for  political  reasons,  probably  thinking 
that  he  would  be  secure  in  the  remoteness  and  inacces- 
sibility of  his  island.  A force  was  sent  to  punish  him 


240 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


commanded  by  Konishi  Yukinaga,  the  Christian 
general,  and  Kato  Kiyomasa,  who  hated  all  Christians, 
the  two  generals  who  later  on  commanded  the  Japanese 
army  in  the  great  invasion  of  Korea,  and  they  quickly 
overran  the  island  and  laid  siege  to  the  castle.  Here 
Yukinaga  would  have  spared  the  defenders,  but  his  col- 
league insisted  on  a general  assault,  and  in  the  fight 
nearly  all  the  defenders  were  killed.  Then  three  hundred 
women,  unwilling  to  survive  their  husbands,  took  up 
their  swords  and,  running  to  the  breach  in  the  walls, 
beat  back  the  besiegers  and  filled  the  ditches  with  their 
dead.  Victory  hung  in  suspense  for  some  time,  but  the 
besiegers  rallied  and  charged  again,  and  all  the  women 
were  cut  in  pieces  and  the  castle  taken. 

Considerable  delay  occurred  while  Hideyoshi’s  objec- 
tions to  receive  Valignani  at  Court  were  being  overcome, 
but  at  last  his  consent  was  given  on  the  strict  condition 
that  it  was  as  ambassador  and  not  as  priest  that  Valignani 
was  presented  to  him.  Once  this  understanding  was 
clearly  established,  every  possible  honour  was  rendered 
to  the  ambassador  by  the  Court.  He  was  lodged  in  a 
palace  in  Kioto,  formerly  occupied  by  Hideyoshi  him- 
self ; a high  officer  of  the  Court  was  sent  to  conduct  him 
to  the  audience ; and  carriages  and  richly  caparisoned 
horses  were  provided  for  himself  and  his  retinue.  In  the 
hall  of  audience,  Hideyoshi,  clad  in  gold  brocade  all 
shining  with  pearls,  was  seated  on  a high  throne,  over 
which  there  was  a rich  canopy  hung  with  the  best 
tapestry  of  China,  and  the  whole  hall  was  lined  by  all 
the  grand  officers  of  state.  The  walls  and  wainscots 
were  inlaid  with  gold,  wrought  in  curious  figures  of 
birds  and  flowers.  On  his  side,  the  Father’s  procession 
to  the  Palace  was  worthy  of  his  new  function.  It  was 
on  the  first  Sunday  in  Lent  in  1591. 

“ First  of  all  a fine  Arabian  horse  covered  with  carnation- 
coloured  velvet,  plate  harness  and  gold  stirrups.  The  Viceroy 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  FIRST  PERSECUTION  241 


of  the  Indies  had  sent  two,  but  one  died  on  the  way. 
Two  young  men  clad  in  long  robes  of  silk,  with  turbans, 
walked  on  each  side,  and  led  the  horse  by  the  reins  be- 
tween two  Portuguese  on  horseback.  After  them  followed 
two  pages,  so  richly  clad  that  one  would  have  taken  them 
for  two  Prince’s  sons.  They  marched  immediately  before 
the  two  Japanese  Lords,  who  formed  part  of  the  mission  to 
the  Pope,  who  were  clad  in  black  velvet  trimmed  with 
gold  lace,  which  Sixtus  Quintus  had  given  them  at  Rome. 
As  for  Father  Valignani  and  his  two  companions,  they  were 
clad  in  the  usual  dress  of  the  Order  and  carried  in  litters. 
The  march  was  closed  with  the  Portuguese  in  so  rich  attire, 
that  they  might  have  appeared  before  the  greatest  monarch 
of  the  world.” 

The  whole  was  so  impressive  that  the  populace  said  it 
far  exceeded  the  procession  of  the  Korean  envoy  who  had 
visited  Hideyoshi  only  a few  months  before.  Civilities 
did  not  end  with  the  formal  audience.  Hideyoshi  was 
pleased  with  the  presents,  with  all  he  heard  of  Europe 
from  the  young  nobles  who  visited  the  Pope,  and  evinced 
such  symptoms  of  a gentler  spirit  that  the  fairest  hopes 
were  held  of  the  speedy  return  of  the  old  days  of  tolera- 
tion. When  the  ambassador  left  Kioto  to  return  to 
Nagasaki,  Father  Rodriguez,  who  was  proficient  in  the 
Japanese  language,  was,  by  Hideyoshi’s  special  desire, 
left  behind  in  the  capital  as  agent.  During  the  next  two 
years  the  Jesuits  faithfully  followed  the  resolutions  of 
the  conference  at  Hirado,  and  the  Church,  though  forced 
to  work  and  worship  in  private,  had  continued  prose- 
lytizing successfully  and  was  left  in  peace  and  un- 
noticed by  the  Japanese  authorities.  Then  a new  storm 
burst  over  it. 

Hitherto  the  priests  of  the  Jesuit  fraternity  had  monopo- 
lized the  new  missionary  field  in  Japan,  the  soil  of  which 
they  were  the  first  to  break.  Their  monopoly  was  con- 
firmed by  Bulls  of  Popes  Gregory  XIII  and  Clement 
VII,  and  Philip  II  of  Spain  ordered  his  Viceroy  in  the 
Indies  to  see  that  these  Bulls  were  obeyed.  Trade 

R 


242 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


jealousies  arose,  as  will  be  shown  in  another  chapter, 
between  the  Spaniards  and  the  Portuguese,  and  the 
Governor  of  the  Philippines,  in  the  hope  of  placing  his 
own  countrymen  on  a better  footing,  sent  an  embassy 
to  Japan.  The  ambassador  brought  with  him  in  his 
train  four  “religious  recollects”  of  the  Order  of  St. 
Francis,  Fathers  Baptiste,  Ruys,  Francis  and  Gonzalez. 
The  embassy  was  received  by  Hideyoshi  at  Nagoya, 
not  very  cordially  as  Hideyoshi  arrogated  a claim  to 
the  sovereignty  of  the  Philippines  which  at  one  period 
he  thought  of  enforcing  by  arms,  and  at  the  audience 
the  Franciscans  asked  and  received  permission  to  visit 
Kioto  and  Osaka  “to  see  his  noble  palaces.”  The 
permission  was  given  on  condition  that  they  did  not 
attempt  to  preach  or  hold  services.  The  Franciscans, 
being  resolved  not  to  observe  this  condition,  “gave  no 
promise,  but  made  a low  reverence.”  One  of  the  Jesuits, 
Father  Organtin,  was  living  quietly  in  Kioto;  he  had 
been  thirty  years  in  Japan  and  was  now  an  old  man,  too 
infirm  to  undertake  the  voyage  to  Europe,  and  when 
his  presence  was  reported  to  Hideyoshi,  he  said,  “Let 
him  end  his  days  among  us.  Having  no  church  he 
can  do  no  harm.”  There  were  secretly  four  other  priests 
in  Kioto,  none  of  whom  ever  appeared  in  public,  but  all, 
together  with  Rodriguez  and  Organtin,  who  had  both 
permission  to  reside  there,  assisted  in  the  private  cele- 
bration of  the  sacraments  of  the  Church  in  a little 
chapel  erected  within  Organtin’s  house  and  in  minister- 
ing to  their  converts. 

The  Franciscans  recognized  none  of  the  obligations 
of  the  Jesuits.  Their  ardent  zeal  made  them  believe 
that  such  deference  to  the  orders  of  the  Sovereign  was 
contrary  to  the  liberty  of  the  Gospel,  and  that  they 
ought  to  preach  the  faith  to  the  infidels  despite  of  all 
laws  to  the  contrary.  The  precise  terms  of  the  Bulls 
of  the  Pope  which  conferred  the  monopoly  of  the  field 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  FIRST  PERSECUTION  243 


on  the  Jesuits,  only  forbade,  they  argued,  “going  to 
Japan.”  Now  that  they  were  actually  in  Japan,  although 
they  had  come  there  not  as  priests,  but  as  part  of  the 
retinue  of  a lay  ambassador,  there  was  nothing  in  the 
Bulls  that  prohibited  their  preaching.  This  may  have 
been  true  as  regards  the  wording  of  the  Bulls,  but  it 
was  entirely  contrary  to  their  spirit.  Nothing,  however, 
could  stand  in  the  way  of  the  zeal  of  the  Franciscans. 
On  the  site  assigned  to  them  as  a diplomatic  residence 
in  the  capital  they  built  a church  and  convent,  and  from 
the  4th  of  October,  1594,  regularly  and  openly  celebrated 
Mass  in  it,  though  they  were  warned,  both  by  the  most 
wise  and  prudent  of  the  converts  and  by  friendly 
heathen,  of  the  danger  they  provoked  not  only  to  them- 
selves, but  to  the  Church.  The  city  Governor  ordered 
them  to  desist,  but  they  paid  no  attention  to  his  orders. 
The  Governor,  being  alone  in  Court  with  Hideyoshi  on 
one  occasion,  said  to  him,  “I  fear  those  priests  who  call 
themselves  ambassadors  from  the  Governor  of  the 
Philippines  intend  both  to  preach  and  baptize  like  the 
rest.”  “They  won’t,”  replied  Hideyoshi  in  a passion, 
“if  they  be  wise,  for  if  they  do,  I’ll  make  them  examples 
and  teach  them  to  laugh  at  me.”  The  Governor  again 
advised  the  Fathers  of  the  danger  they  were  in,  but  then, 
thinking  he  had  done  his  duty,  took  no  further  notice 
of  them,  and  the  Fathers,  finding  no  material  opposi- 
tion, extended  their  work.  Three  more  members  of  the 
Order,  Rodriguez,  Ribadeney  and  Jerome,  joined  them 
at  their  invitation  from  the  Philippines.  Another  con- 
vent was  built  at  Osaka,  and  intoxicated  with  their 
success,  they  resolved  to  extend  their  work  to  Nagasaki, 
where  there  was  a large  establishment  of  Jesuits  work- 
ing quietly  among  a large  native  congregation.  The 
Superior  of  the  Franciscans  asked  permission  from  the 
Governor  of  Kioto  for  two  of  his  brethren  who  were 
sick  to  go  to  Nagasaki  for  change  of  air,  and  was  told, 
r 2 


244 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


“In  case  of  health  there  need  be  no  further  leave,  all  in 
Japa7i  being  free  to  go  and  reside  where  they  pleased .” 
Fathers  Baptiste  and  Jerome  accordingly  went  to 
Nagasaki,  and  there  soon  began  to  say  Mass  and  preach 
publicly  without  any  regard  to  the  prohibition. 

At  this  period  all  Hideyoshi’s  anger  against  the 
Christians  seemed  to  have  gone.  He  knew  that  many 
Fathers,  though  banished  from  Japan,  remained  in  the 
country,  but  he  made  no  search  for  them ; on  the  con- 
trary, he  gave  leave  to  ten  of  them  to  reside  at  Naga- 
saki and,  as  has  been  told,  to  Rodriguez  to  reside  and 
the  venerable  Father  Organtin  to  finish  his  days  at 
Kioto  : he  had  just  received  the  newly  arrived  Bishop 
of  the  Church  with  every  mark  of  honour  and  esteem, 
and  more  than  once  silenced  his  courtiers  for  speaking 
reflectingly  on  the  Christians,  “particularly  in  time  of 
the  Earthquake,  when  one  was  pleased  to  say,  they 
were  justly  punished  for  receiving  a stranger  religion 
into  Japan.  You  have  reason  indeed  (said  the  Em- 
peror), as  . if  there  had  never  been  earthquakes  in  Japan 
before  Christians  came  amongst  us.” 

It  was  under  these  circumstances  that  the  Franciscans, 
“little  acquainted,  being  newly  arrived  in  the  country, 
with  the  genius  of  the  people,  and  still  less  with  Hide- 
yoshi’s designs,”  gave  full  scope  to  their  proselytizing 
in  public,  preaching  publicly  in  the  churches,  hearing 
confessions  and  baptizing  the  infidels  without  any  regard 
to  Hideyoshi’s  orders.  No  warnings  or  remonstrances 
were  able  to  stop  their  torrent  of  zeal.  While  they  were 
thus  employed  an  unhappy  incident  occurred.  A great 
Spanish  galleon,  richly  laden,  called  the  St.  Philip , 
bound  from  the  Philippines  to  Goa,  took  refuge  in  a 
port  in  Tosa,  mastless,  rudderless  and  leaking.  She 
had  six  priests  among  her  passengers.  Hideyoshi  was 
persuaded  to  take  possession  of  the  galleon  as  a prize 
on  the  ground  that  she  brought  soldiers,  arms  and 
priests,  and  that  she  was  a wreck  on  the  coast  of  Japan. 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  FIRST  PERSECUTION  245 


The  unhappy  captain  protested  against  such  an  outrage 
on  a ship  in  distress  belonging  to  a friendly  nation 
with  which  there  was  a Treaty  of  Commerce,  and  think- 
ing to  support  his  protests  by  showing  the  might  of  his 
King,  he  pointed  on  a map  to  all  the  Spanish  posses- 
sions in  the  world.  The  Governor  inquired  how  the 
King  of  Spain  had  acquired  such  great  possessions,  and 
the  Spaniard  told  him — 

“ that  this  was  done  by  the  help  of  Missioners,  whom  his 
Master  sent  to  all  parts  of  the  world  to  preach  the  Gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ,  for  so  soon  as  these  Religious  had  gained 
a sufficient  number  of  Proselytes,  the  King  followed  with 
his  troops,  and  joining  the  new  Converts  made  a conquest 
of  the  Kingdoms.” 

The  contumacy  of  the  Franciscans  and  the  indiscretion 
of  the  unfortunate  Spanish  captain  were  simultaneously 
reported  to  Hideyoshi  and  received  by  him  with  an  out- 
burst of  passion.  No  time  could  have  been  more  unfor- 
tunate at  which  to  give  him  new  cause  of  irritation. 
Shortly  before,  his  pride  had  been  wounded  to  the  quick 
by  the  failure  of  the  Chinese  Embassy  which,  coming, 
as  he  thought,  to  do  him  honour,  had  addressed  him  as 
a vassal  of  China.  The  renewal  of  the  war  with  Korea 
was  at  hand,  and  his  abilities  and  resources  were  being 
tried  to  the  utmost.  A terrible  earthquake  had  just 
ruined  the  majestic  temple  and  palace  on  which  he  had 
lavished  millions,  which  he  fondly  hoped  would  have 
borne  witness  to  his  wealth  and  greatness.  Now  both 
had  been  wrecked  to  their  foundations,  and  he  himself 
had  for  a time  been  forced  to  seek  safety  from  the 
repeated  shocks  in  a wretched  mountain  hut.  His 
health  was  beginning  to  break.  On  all  this  came  the 
news  that  his  orders  had  publicly  been  flouted  by 
foreigners  in  his  own  dominions,  that  these  very 
priests  whom  he  had  spared  were  the  forerunners  of  the 
conquering  arms  of  Spain.  And  beside  him  was  still 
the  vile  Pandar,  Hiakunin,  still  full  of  hatred  and 


246 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


malice  against  the  Christians,  to  inflame  his  anger 
still  further,  and  to  urge  him  to  spare  none,  neither  the 
priests  who  had  misled  the  Japanese  from  the  national 
Gods,  nor  the  Japanese  who  had  forsaken  these  Gods. 
Is  it  to  be  wondered  at  that  Hideyoshi,  an  autocrat 
whose  word  none  of  his  own  people  dared  to  dispute, 
declared  he  would  hang  or  burn  every  man  ? The  news 
was  quickly  spread  that  all  Christians  were  to  die, 
Jesuits,  Franciscans  and  Japanese  without  distinction. 
Not  a convert  faltered.  Women  and  children  showed 
the  same  courage  as  did  the  men. 

The  days  of  wholesale  persecution  were,  however, 
not  yet  come.  Hideyoshi  exempted  the  Portuguese 
Jesuits.  They  had  obeyed  the  laws,  and  he  feared  an 
outbreak  among  the  Christians  in  Kiushiu,  a large  and 
influential  body,  if  he  condemned  the  priests  who  had 
lived  and  worked  among  them  for  so  many  years.  Three 
native  Jesuit  priests  were,  however,  included  among 
those  condemned  to  die — twenty-four  in  all.  Many 
more  could  have  been  taken,  for,  once  the  edict  went 
forth,  the  native  converts  boldly  professed  their  faith 
and  sought  the  honour  of  dying  with  their  priests.  But 
the  officers  charged  with  the  arrests  were  merciful ; they 
were  appalled  by  the  number  that  presented  themselves, 
and  took  only  those  whom  they  found  in  the  actual 
service  of  the  Mass.  Their  mercy  went  even  further. 
They  gave  four  of  the  Franciscans  at  Nagasaki  the 
chance  of  leaving  Japan  by  the  first  vessel  that  sailed. 
The  Father  Provincial  of  the  society  refused  to  take  it. 
The  sufferings  of  the  condemned  were  long  and  agoniz- 
ing. The  tips  of  their  ears  were  cut  off.  Then  with 
hands  tied  behind  their  backs,  they  were  carted  through 
the  streets  of  Kioto  and  Osaka — then  in  the  same  fashion 
on  the  long  journey  from  Osaka  to  Nagasaki  by  land, 
that  all  the  people  on  the  way  might  see  them.  It  was 
midwinter,  the  same  season  and  the  same  journey  that 
Xavier  had  taken  on  his  first  visit  to  the  capital,  and 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  FIRST  PERSECUTION  247 


the  sufferings  of  the  ill-clad  prisoners  were  intense,  so 
much  so  that  their  guards,  fearing  they  might  die  on 
their  hands,  at  last  relieved  them  with  additional  clothing 
and  food.  It  was  on  the  3rd  of  January  that  they  started 
on  their  march  from  Kioto.  It  was  thirty-three  days 
later  when  they  reached  the  ground  at  Nagasaki  on 
which  they  were  to  die.  The  first  intention  was  that 
they  should  be  crucified  on  the  common  execution 
ground,  but  at  the  entreaty  of  the  Portuguese  residents 
at  Nagasaki  they  were  spared  this  indignity  by  the 
local  governor,  and  taken  to  the  hill  on  whose  slopes  the 
Roman  Catholic  cathedral  now  stands.  There  all  were 
crucified,1  their  last  glances  lighting  on  one  of  the  fairest 
spots  on  the  earth.  Only  the  baptismal  names  are  given 
of  the  Japanese  who  died;  two  of  them  were  boys  twelve 
and  thirteen  years  of  age,  but  those  of  the  six  Franciscan 
priests  were  Francis  Baptiste,  Commissary  Superior 
of  the  Order,  a native  of  Avila,  Spain,  aged  forty-eight 
years;  Martin  de  Luynes,  of  Biscay,  aged  thirty;  Philip 
of  Jesus,  of  Mexico ; Gonzalez  Garcia  de  Bazaine ; Francis 
le  Blanc,  a Gallician,  aged  thirty  years;  and  Francis 
Michael  of  Valladolid.  They  were  the  first  of  the  long 
list  of  European  martyrs  in  Japan  who  cheerfully  gave 
up  their  lives  in  their  Master’s  cause.  They  brought 
their  fate  upon  themselves  by  their  obstinate  defiance 
of  the  law  of  the  land  in  which  they  lived.  They  were 
the  ultimate  causes  of  the  ruin  of  the  Church  for  which 
they  died,  but  they  paid  the  penalty  of  their  errors  with 

1 Crucifixion,  a punishment  which  was  abolished  less  than  forty 
years  ago,  and,  while  it  lasted,  was  considered  less  severe  than  decapi- 
tation, though  very  horrible  in  its  form,  was  not  so  cruel  as  with  the 
Jews  and  the  Romans.  The  cross  had  two  bars,  one  at  the  head  and 
one  at  the  feet,  and  between  the  two  was  a small  seat.  The  con- 
demned man  was  tied — not  nailed — hands  and  feet,  in  spread-eagle 
fashion  to  the  two  bars,  with  the  weight  of  his  body  resting  on  the  seat. 
When  the  cross  was  erected,  an  expert  spearsman  stood  on  each  side, 
and  at  a given  command,  both  drove  their  spears  simultaneously  so 
that  both  spears  passed  crosswise  in  the  shape  of  an  X through  all  the 
vital  organs  of  the  body,  and  death  was  instantaneous. 


248 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


unflinching  courage,  and  faced  death  in  a horrible  form 
rather  than  take  the  choice  that  was  given  to  them  of 
abandoning  the  field  in  which  they  worked  and  leaving 
their  converts  without  the  spiritual  ministrations  of  the 
priests  of  their  fraternity.  A strong  military  guard 
kept  the  people  at  a distance  during  the  execution,  but 
when  all  was  over  the  Christians  broke  through  the  line 
of  soldiers  to  dip  their  handkerchiefs  in  the  blood  that 
flowed  from  the  bodies. 

The  execution  was  soon  followed  by  orders  that  all 
priests — even  those  of  the  Jesuit  fraternity — should  leave 
Japan  at  once,  and  that  all  churches  should  be  destroyed. 

Under  the  second,  137  churches  were  demolished  in 
the  three  fiefs  of  Arima,  Omura  and  Hirado,  the  Princes 
of  which  were  Christians,  where  Christianity  had  its 
chief  stronghold,  but  the  first  could  not  be  carried  out 
as  there  were  no  ships  in  which  so  large  a body  could 
sail,  and  before  it  could  Hideyoshi  sickened  and  died. 

“To  be  short,  this  unhappy  Prince  died  the  15th,  in  the 
morning,  at  the  age  of  sixty-two,  laden  with  honours  and 
crimes,  equally  hated  and  dreaded  by  all  his  subjects,  the 
first  that  dipped  his  hands  in  the  blood  of  Christians,  and 
the  first  that  subdued  all  Japan  by  a most  tyrannical  usurpa- 
tion. None  were  sorry  for  his  death,  but  such  as  proposed 
to  enrich  themselves  by  his  life;  for  the  Nobility,  they  were 
all  much  better  pleased  to  see  him  on  the  list  of  the  dead 
Gods,  than  in  the  land  of  living  men.” 

This  is  the  verdict  of  the  Fathers  on  the  first  perse- 
cutor of  their  Church  in  Japan.  That  of  Hideyoshi’s 
own  countrymen  has  already  been  given.1 

1 See  page  199. 

Note. — In  this  and  other  chapters,  the  territorial  feudal  lords — the 
Daimio — are  frequently  mentioned  as  “ Princes.”  The  latter  is  the 
term  that  was  almost  invariably  employed,  not  only  by  the  Jesuit 
Fathers  and  Kaempfer,  but  by  European  writers  on  and  residents  in 
Japan — it  was  used  even  in  official  documents — down  to  the  restora- 
tion of  the  present  Emperor.  It  was  and  is,  of  course,  incorrect.  The 
feudatories  were  never  entitled  to  it.  They  were  not  called  Princes  in 
their  own  language,  but  for  the  sake  of  convenience  the  old  custom  of 
using  it  has  been  followed  to  some  extent  in  this  book. 


CHAPTER  XIV 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  THE  SECOND  PERSECUTION 

The  Church  now  had  a respite.  Some  of  the  most 
influential  members  of  the  new  Government — Ishida 
Mitsunari,  the  most  active  and  the  ablest  of  the  civil 
members  of  the  Council  of  State;  Konishi  Yukinaga, 
the  greatest  general  in  the  Empire — were  devoted  Chris- 
tians. Iyeyasu  was  at  first  far  too  occupied  with  his 
controversies  with  the  League  and  afterwards  with  his 
campaign  to  be  able  to  spare  either  time  or  thought  for 
a detail  of  administration  that  was  insignificant  in  com- 
parison with  the  great  problems  of  statesmanship  and 
civil  war  that  faced  him.  Every  consideration  of  pru- 
dence also  forbade  him,  while  his  fate  still  hung  in  the 
balance,  to  alienate  an  important  section  of  the  people, 
more  formidable  in  their  intelligence,  rank  and  military 
distinction  than  their  numbers,  large  though  they  were. 
Christianity  was  predominant  throughout  Kiushiu ; it 
was  strongly  represented  among  the  veteran  soldiers 
that  were  now  returning  from  Korea,  and  its  votaries 
would  constitute  a very  formidable  addition  to  those 
who  were  already  his  declared  enemies. 

The  Jesuits  not  only  remained  in  Japan,  but  received 
substantial  reinforcements — their  whole  number  was 
now  over  a hundred — and  while  still  working  unosten- 
tatiously and  celebrating  their  Masses  in  privacy,  they 
made  such  an  infinite  number  of  new  converts,  that 
“they  were  transported  out  of  themselves  to  see  God  so 
prosper  their  labours.”  The  culmination  of  their  joy 

249 


250 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


was  reached  when  Mori,  the  Prince  of  Choshiu,  the 
most  puissant  prince  in  all  the  land  next  to  Iyeyasu, 
gave  them  permission  to  settle  a residence  in  his  capital 
of  Yamaguchi.  It  has  been  already  told  how  Xavier 
preached  and  founded  a mission  in  this  town.  When 
he  left,  Cosmo  de  Torres  was  placed  in  charge  of  it,  and 
his  work  was  so  successful  that  by  1556  he  had  made 
two  thousand  converts.  Then  a local  revolution  occurred 
— it  will  be  remembered  that  at  that  period  the  Central 
Government  held  no  real  authority  over  the  Provinces — 
and  the  town  became  as  great  a scene  of  rapine  and  blood- 
shed as  was  Kioto  in  the  last  days  of  the  Ashikaga.  A 
great  part  of  it  was  burnt,  including  the  church  and 
mission-house,  and  De  Torres  was  forced  to  leave  it,  and 
for  twenty-seven  years  afterwards  foreign  missionaries 
were  forbidden  to  reside  in  it  by  the  new  Government 
established  by  the  local  revolution.  Then,  when  Chris- 
tianity was  free  and  flourishing  through  all  Japan,  the 
permission  was  given,  but  no  use  could  be  made  of  it,  as 
all  the  Fathers  were  fully  occupied  in  other  dioceses. 
It  was  again  withdrawn  under  Hideyoshi’s  edicts.  It 
was  found  when  the  mission  was  reopened  that  more 
than  five  hundred  Christians,  without  the  encour- 
agement of  the  presence  of  foreign  priests,  without 
ordained  priests  to  minister  to  them,  had  conserved  all 
their  faith  in  its  primitive  purity  from  the  days  of 
Xavier  and  De  Torres,  nearly  fifty  years  before.  All  the 
original  prosperity  of  the  Church  seemed  to  have  now 
returned  to  it:  “It  was  like  the  earth  in  springtime, 
flourishing  in  virtue  and  perfuming  the  country  with  the 
sweet  odour  of  its  sanctity.”  Seventy  thousand  new 
converts  were  baptized  in  the  years  1599  and  1600,  and 
fifty  churches  rebuilt.  Before  opening  the  details  of 
the  dawn  of  its  new  period  of  tribulation  we  shall  divert 
a little  from  our  main  story  to  tell  that  of  a Christian 
lady  who  won  for  herself  a position  among  the  great 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  SECOND  PERSECUTION  251 


women  of  Japan,  by  her  fortitude,  courage  and  devotion, 
not  as  a Christian,  but  as  a type  of  Samurai  spirit  in 
the  noblest  form  in  which  it  can  be  displayed  by  women. 
As  a Christian  she  was  a heroine  of  the  Church,  but 
when  that  page  in  her  story  was  entirely  obliterated  for 
two  and  a half  centuries  by  the  national  hatred  of  the 
very  name  of  Christianity,  she  was  still  a national 
heroine  in  the  eyes  of  all  her  countrymen. 

The  story  has  already  been  told  of  Akechi  Mitsuhide, 
traitor  and  murderer.1  His  record,  until  that  of  the  last 
dark  chapter  in  his  life,  was  that  of  a brave  Samurai. 
His  wife,  in  her  own  womanly  way,  was  no  less  brave 
than  her  husband.  It  is  told  of  her  that  once,  when 
her  husband  was  suddenly  called  upon  to  entertain  im- 
portant guests  and  was  without  the  means  to  do  so,  his 
wife  provided  them  by  selling  her  own  hair.  The 
daughter  of  this  couple,  a girl  of  “surpassing  beauty, 
of  quick  wit,  of  sound  judgment,  and  of  a spirit  and 
genius  above  the  common  sort,”  was  married  to  Hoso- 
kawa  Tadaoki,  a brother  officer  of  her  father,  in  the 
service  of  Nobunaga,  who  was  rewarded  for  his  services 
by  the  grant  of  the  fief  of  Tango.  Her  husband  was  a 
bosom  friend  of  Konishi  Yukinaga,  who  made  vain 
attempts  to  lead  him  into  Christianity.  He  told  his 
wife,  whom  he  passionately  loved,  all  that  he  had  heard 
from  Yukinaga  about  the  new  doctrine,  and  her  interest 
was  kindled  in  it.  The  husband’s  duties  as  a soldier 
necessitated  frequent  absences  from  home  throughout  all 
Hideyoshi’s  long  wars,  and  fearing  lest  so  beautiful  a 
woman  as  his  wife  might,  in  his  absence,  be  taken  by 
force  to  become  the  victim  of  Hideyoshi’s  inexhaustible 
sensuality,  he  forbade  her  to  stir  beyond  the  walls  of  her 
residence  in  Osaka.  He  provided  her  with  abundant 
ladies  to  enliven  her  solitude,  but  ordered  the  guards  to 
admit  no  one  else,  no  matter  of  what  quality.  Her 

1 See  page  176. 


252 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


longing  to  hear  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ  was  proof 
against  locks  and  bars,  and  with  four  of  her  ladies  she 
secretly  attended  the  service  of  the  church.  What  she 
heard  there  filled  her  with  the  desire  to  be  baptized,  and, 
as  she  might  never  find  another  opportunity,  she  earn- 
estly begged  that  the  ceremony  should  be  performed  at 
once.  The  Father  (Cespides)  was  not  satisfied  that  she 
was  sufficiently  instructed  and  prepared  for  the  sacra- 
ment. He  saw  besides  that  she  was  a person  of  rank, 
and  as  she  refused  to  tell  her  name,  saying  that  reasons 
obliged  her  to  conceal  it,  but  that  she  was  a servant  of 
God,  a true  Christian  at  heart,  her  wondrous  beauty 
made  the  Father  think  she  was  one  of  Hideyoshi’s  three 
hundred  concubines.  In  the  meantime,  her  absence 
from  home  had  been  discovered.  The  guards,  filled 
with  anxiety,  sought  her  everywhere,  and  at  last  found 
her  among  the  Christians.  They  carried  her  home  in 
a palanquin,  and  from  that  day  the  strict  watch  that 
was  kept  on  her  took  away  all  hope  of  ever  again  being 
able  to  go  abroad. 

There  was  no  restriction  on  her  ladies;  daily  she  sent 
some  of  them  with  written  queries  to  the  Father,  and  the 
result  was  that  seventeen  of  these  ladies  were  themselves 
baptized.  Then  came  the  news  of  Hideyoshi’s  edict  of 
expulsion,  and  terrified  lest  the  Fathers  should  be 
driven  from  Osaka,  she  sent  one  of  her  ladies — one  of 
the  seventeen — to  implore  the  Fathers  to  baptize  her 
before  they  left.  Access  to  her  was  as  impossible  for 
them  as  it  was  for  her  to  come  to  the  church.  So  as  a 
last  resort  the  Fathers  instructed  the  lady,  whose  own 
baptismal  name  was  Mary,  in  the  sacrament  and  com- 
missioned her  to  perform  it  on  her  mistress.  The  lady 
was  herself  both  beautiful  and  of  high  birth,  already 
contracted  in  marriage  to  one  of  her  own  rank,  but  she 
was  so  filled  with  the  inspiration  of  the  Divine  Ministry 
conferred  on  her  by  the  Fathers,  that  she  cut  off  her  hair 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  SECOND  PERSECUTION  253 


and  made  a vow  to  devote  herself  in  perpetual  chastity 
to  the  Church.  Soon  after  Hosokawa  returned  home, 
to  find  his  wife  a Christian.  Torn  between  his  love  for 
his  wife  and  his  hatred  of  Christianity,  he  was  dis- 
tracted what  to  do.  It  was  within  his  marital  rights  to 
kill  her  for  her  disobedience,  but  his  love  for  her  would 
not  allow  him  to  take  so  violent  a course.  So  he  tried 
severity,  both  in  threats  and  actions.  All  this  was  in 
the  year  1587.  Throughout  thirteen  years  she  remained 
firm  to  her  faith,  and,  though  bereft  of  all  priestly  aid 
and  comfort,  she  was  equally  firm  against  both  the 
angry  threats  and  loving  entreaties  of  her  husband. 

In  the  war  between  the  League  and  Iyeyasu,  Hoso- 
kawa threw  in  his  lot  with  Iyeyasu,  and  was  with  his 
army  in  its  march  to  Gifu  and  at  the  battle  of  Seki  ga 
hara.  Like  many  others  in  the  same  service  he  left 
his  wife  at  Osaka.  There  the  League  determined  to  take 
the  wives  as  hostages  that  their  husbands  would  not 
serve  in  the  army  of  the  enemy  against  the  rightful 
prince,  the  son  of  Hideyoshi,  their  former  lord.  Hoso- 
kawa, before  leaving  Osaka,  had  foreseen  this  possi- 
bility, which  was  an  ordinary  incident  in  the  Civil  Wars 
in  Japan,  and  had  given  orders  to  the  guards  of  his 
house  that  rather  than  let  his  wife  be  taken,  they  should 
put  her  to  death.  The  soldiers  of  the  League  were  now 
round  the  house,  ready  to  seize  their  hostage,  and  the 
time  had  come  when  it  was  the  guard’s  duty  to  carry  out 
their  master’s  orders.  They  were  in  tears  when  they 
came  to  their  lady  and  sadly  told  her  of  what  they  had 
to  do.  She  was  at  once  resigned,  begging  only  for  a 
few  minutes  to  prepare  herself  by  prayer  and  to  bid 
adieu  to  her  own  ladies.  There  was  little  time  as  the 
soldiers  at  the  gate  were  ab’out  to  force  their  way  in. 
Her  ladies  wished  to  die  with  her,  but  she  forbade  them 
as  Christians  and  dismissed  them.  Then  she  received 
the  guards  alone  in  her  own  chamber  without  a tremor, 


254 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


and  she  only  begged  them,  knowing  the  Samurai  code, 
of  honour  and  duty,  that  they  would  do  no  harm  to 
themselves.  “Madam,”  they  answered,  “how  can  we 
survive  you — we  must  do  our  duty  to  our  master,  but 
justice  condemns  us  also,  whose  hands  will  be  stained 
with  your  blood,  to  die  with  you.”  Then  she  fell  on  her 
knees  and  bared  her  neck,  and  with  one  stroke  her  head 
was  severed  from  her  body.  Her  body  was  reverently 
covered  with  a silk  cloth,  and  as  it  would  have  been 
disrespectful  to  die  in  the  room  in  which  it  was,  the 
guards  withdrew  to  another  and  there  all  performed 
hara-kiri,  first  setting  fire  to  the  house,  that  all  the 
bodies,  their  mistress’s  and  their  own,  might  be  con- 
sumed. All  the  details  of  the  story  were  told  by  the 
ladies  of  the  household  who  survived.1 

We  will  now  return  to  our  main  story.  Seki  ga  hara 
gave  Iyeyasu  the  mastery  of  the  Empire,  and  when  he 
had  settled  the  main  and  most  pressing  political  diffi- 
culties that  confronted  him  he  was  able  to  give  his 
attention  to  Christianity.  He  was  at  first  minded  to 
pursue  the  policy  of  Hideyoshi,  and  actually  did  issue 

1 The  story  of  this  lady  is  told  here  as  it  is  by  the  Jesuit  Fathers. 
It  is  also  told  in  more  than  a hundred  native  works  of  history  or 
romance,  but  in  not  a single  one  is  there,  the  present  writer  believes, 
the  slightest  reference  to  the  fact  that  the  lady  was  a Christian,  and 
the  cause  assigned  in  them  for  the  differences  between  herself  and  her 
husband  was  the  latter’s  horror  at  the  taint  cast  on  the  daughter  by  her 
father’s  treachery.  In  all  native  works  she  is  also  represented  as 
having  died  by  her  own  hand  when  the  attempt  was  made  to  arrest 
her.  The  account  of  the  Jesuit  Fathers  is  probably  the  correct  one. 
They  were  her  compeers,  and  in  the  city  when  she  died,  and  the  utter 
disrepute  into  which  Christianity  fell  soon  after  her  death  is  quite  suf- 
ficient to  explain  the  silence  of  later  native  writers  on  this  feature  of 
her  life  which  might  have  been  held  to  dim  the  glory  of  her  heroic 
self-sacrifice.  In  the  days  of  Old  Japan  it  was  only  less  common  for 
women  of  Samurai  birth  to  die  by  their  own  hands  to  avoid  capture  or 
dishonour  than  it  was  for  their  husbands  or  fathers.  Men  died  by 
hara-kiri , cutting  the  belly  open  with  a sword — a very  vivid  description 
of  the  ceremony  of  which  is  given  in  the  “Tales  of  Old  Japan  ” by 
Lord  Redesdale,  who  witnessed  it — and  women  by  thrusting  a sword 
into  the  throat. 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  SECOND  PERSECUTION  255 


an  edict  of  expulsion,  but  he  soon  withdrew  it  in  defer- 
ence to  the  wishes  of  Christians  who  had  fought  for 
him.  The  missionaries  continued  their  work  uninter- 
rupted by  official  interference.  Their  staff  was  con- 
stantly reinforced,  and,  as  a new  Bull  of  Pope  Paul  V 
cancelled  the  monopoly  of  the  Jesuits,  the  recruits  in- 
cluded priests  of  all  the  societies  of  the  Roman  Church, 
Franciscans,  Dominicans  and  Augustins  as  well  as 
Jesuits.  All  were  equal  in  zeal  and  ability,  and  the 
numbers  of  converts  increased  enormously.  There  were 
churches  everywhere  from  Tsugaru  in  the  far  north  to 
the  Goto  Islands  in  the  extreme  south;  even  in  Yedo, 
Iyeyasu’s  own  capital,  and  in  the  barbarous  Yezo,  still 
little  more  than  a terra  incognita  to  the  Japanese  them- 
selves. Sado,  a remote  island  on  the  West  Coast  famed 
for  its  gold  mines,  the  source  from  which  came  the  gold 
that  was  so  abundantly  used  in  the  decoration  of  the 
palaces  and  temples  of  Kioto  and  Osaka,  was  not  left 
untried,  and  here,  too,  a devoted  priest  laboured  among 
the  rough  miners,  many  of  them  political,  many  more 
criminal,  fugitives  from  justice. 

While  all  was  fair  and  promising,  when  the  prosperity 
and  future  of  the  Church  seemed  to  be  once  more  at 
their  height,  another  storm  burst  upon  it,  a storm  that 
was  only  to  be  lulled  into  calm  when  Christianity  was 
swept  off  the  face  of  the  waters  and  buried  deep  beneath 
the  angry  waves. 

The  Dutch  had  now  gained  a foothold  in  Japan. 
They  hated  Spaniards  and  Portuguese  with  the  bitter 
hatred  that  is  born  of  religious  and  political  antagonism 
and  of  trade  rivalry.  The  Japanese  found  that  they 
need  no  longer  depend  only  on  the  Spaniards  and 
Portuguese  as  the  sole  mediums  of  foreign  trade,  and 
while  both  the  latter  persisted  in  uniting  proselytism 
with  trade,  the  Dutch  were  bent  on  trade  alone  and,  pro- 
vided they  were  allowed  to  trade,  willingly  submitted 


256 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


to  any  conditions.  In  1603  their  privateers,  practically 
pirates,  captured  two  large  Portuguese  ships  at  sea, 
which  among  other  things  carried  the  funds  and  stores 
for  the  Church  in  Japan,  and  great  were  the  suffering 
and  the  interruption  to  the  work  owing  to  the  heavy 
loss.  In  Japan,  through  the  succeeding  years,  they 
unceasingly  vilified  both  Spaniards  and  Portuguese, 
and  convinced  Iyeyasu  that  in  no  long  time  in  the 
future  he  might  expect  to  be  called  upon  to  defend  his 
own  country  against  all  the  might  of  Spain,  which  was 
for  ever  extending  its  possessions  in  the  East.  Spain 
already  held  the  Philippines,  a frontier,  as  it  were,  of 
Japan.  She  was  constantly  sending  fresh  troops  there, 
and  against  whom  could  they  be  intended  to  serve  if 
not  Japan  ? A Spanish  sea  captain,  anxious  only  to 
benefit  navigation,  took  soundings  openly  and  in  broad 
midday  of  some  of  the  harbours.  The  Japanese  thought 
nothing  of  it  till  the  Dutch  told  them  it  was  a gross 
infraction  of  international  hospitality,  and  was  only 
being  done  for  one  purpose,  to  make  the  way  easy  for 
a Spanish  fleet. 

A fracas  occurred  at  Nagasaki  between  the  sailors  of 
a Portuguese  ship  and  Japanese  on  shore ; it  was  prob- 
ably a drunken  row,  such  as  are  not  uncommon  between 
European  sailors  and  native  rowdies  at  Japanese  sea- 
ports at  the  present  day ; but  before  it  ended  several 
were  killed  on  both  sides.  It  was  reported  to  Iyeyasu, 
who,  without  hearing  a word  of  the  Portuguese  story, 
without  giving  them  any  chance  to  exculpate  them- 
selves, ordered  that  the  ship  should  be  taken  and  the 
crew  put  to  death,  and  gave  the  Prince  of  Arima,  a 
Christian,  the  task  of  carrying  out  his  orders.  The 
conduct  of  the  Portuguese  sailors  was,  as  has  been 
already  stated,  not  edifying  to  the  native  Christians, 
who  entirely  disassociated  them  from  the  missionaries, 
and  the  Prince  of  Arima  had  no  compunctions  in  under- 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  SECOND  PERSECUTION  257 

taking  the  task  that  was  given  to  him.  The  Portuguese 
captain,  a stout  and  valiant  sailor,  hearing  of  what  was 
threatened,  put  to  sea,  but  was  windbound  at  the  mouth 
of  the  harbour  for  two  days.  A fleet  of  Japanese  boats 
started  in  pursuit  with  three  thousand  soldiers  on  board. 
On  one  of  their  largest  boats  a tower  of  strong  wooden 
beams  was  built  from  within  which  two  hundred 
musketeers  could  fire  without  exposing  themselves  in 
any  way  to  a return  fire.  The  Portuguese  did  all  he 
could  to  escape,  but  it  fell  a dead  calm.  His  ship  was 
helpless,  while  the  Japanese  manoeuvred  all  round  with 
oars,  and  the  tower  ship  laid  herself  by  his  stern  where 
his  great  broadside  guns  could  not  be  brought  to  bear. 
The  Portuguese  then  attempted  to  destroy  the  tower 
ship  with  a fire  ball,  but  the  fire  took  hold  instead  of 
their  own  mizzen-sail  and  spread  thence  to  the  rest  of 
the  ship,  so  that  the  men  had  to  leave  the  guns  to  fight 
the  flames,  while  the  Japanese  all  round  fired  on  them 
incessantly.  The  captain,  seeing  that  all  was  lost,  blew 
up  his  ship.  Even  Christianity  had  not  taught  the 
Japanese  to  spare  their  beaten  foes.  Christians  though 
the  commander  and  most  of  his  men  were,  they  merci- 
lessly shot  the  few  Portuguese  who  survived  the  ex- 
plosion and  tried  to  escape  by  swimming.  Not  a soul 
of  all  the  crew  and  passengers  was  left,  while  the  victors 
themselves  had  heavy  losses.1  This  was  in  the  year  1609. 

All  these  incidents  and  circumstances  had  their  in- 
fluence on  Iyeyasu.  In  1611  he  banished  Christians 
from  his  own  Court.  Even  ladies  of  the  Court  were 
banished  to  the  wild  and  desolate  island  of  Oshima. 
The  province  of  Arima  had  long  been  the  home  of 
Christianity,  and  both  the  Prince  and  people  were 
devoted  Christians.  Through  intrigues  at  Court,  which 
need  not  be  detailed,  the  Prince,  notwithstanding  his 

1 The  spot  in  the  harbour  at  which  this  took  place  was  ever  after- 
wards called  “ the  place  for  burning  foreign  ships.” 
s 


258 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


services  in  the  case  of  the  Portuguese  ship,  was  deposed 
and  banished  and  finally  executed  without  trial,  his 
chief  offence  being  his  Christianity.  His  son,  the  anti- 
thesis of  his  father’s  virtues,  apostatized  and  was  in- 
stalled as  Prince  in  his  stead  on  condition  that  he  should 
wipe  out  Christianity  in  his  fief.  Then  a persecution 
began  in  Arima.  Banishment  was  tried  at  first,  but  it 
was  without  effect.  All  who  suffered  were  content  to  do 
so  rather  than  renounce  their  faith.  Then  the  last 
penalty  of  death  was  put  in  force,  at  first  against  some 
of  the  gentry  of  the  fief,  who  were  executed  with  their 
wives  and  children,  some  by  the  sword,  some  by  being 
burnt  to  death  in  slow  fires;  then  against  two  younger 
brothers  of  the  Prince,  both  less  than  eight  years  of  age, 
and  finally  against  the  people,  who  were  executed  and 
burnt  like  their  betters.  A limit  was  only  drawn  when 
the  Prince  became  frightened  at  the  numbers  of  those 
who  stood  firm  in  the  face  of  all  the  tortures  with  which 
they  were  threatened. 

For  two  years  Iyeyasu  w^as  satisfied  with  the  persecu- 
tions in  Arima,  in  his  capital  and  in  his  own  personal 
town  of  Shidzuoka,  but  in  1614  he  issued  a further  decree 
in  which  it  w-as  ordered  that  all  priests,  whether  Euro- 
pean or  Japanese,  should  be  banished  out  of  Japan ; 
that  all  churches  should  be  pulled  down ; and  that  all 
Christians  should  be  enrolled,  and  those  who  refused  to 
renounce  their  faith  should  be  tortured  and  put  to  death. 
The  immediate  and  ostensible  cause  of  this  final  edict 
was  that  a Christian  condemned  to  be  crucified  for  an 
ordinary  criminal  offence  wjas  accompanied  to  the  execu- 
tion ground  by  some  of  his  co-religionists  to  console 
him  in  his  last  moments.  Just  as  the  executioner  was 
about  to  thrust  his  lance,  they  all  with  one  accord  fell 
on  their  knees  to  pray  for  mercy  for  the  soul  of  the 
condemned,  and  this  act  wras  construed  into  honouring 
and  worshipping  a famous  criminal,  which  wras  “perni- 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  SECOND  PERSECUTION  259 


cious  to  the  state,  opposite  to  good  manners,  and  incon- 
sistent with  the  public  tranquillity.” 

It  must  be  laid  to  the  credit  of  the  officers  commis- 
sioned to  carry  out  Iyeyasu’s  orders  that,  before  pro- 
ceeding to  the  last  measures,  they  made  every  effort  to 
induce  the  people  to  conform  outwardly  at  least  to  the 
renunciation  of  their  faith.  They  enrolled  only  the 
masters  of  the  Christian  households,  but  wives,  children 
and  domestics  insisted  on  their  names  being  added. 
They  practised  a pious  fraud  and  induced  many  to  sign 
their  names  in  what  they  thought  was  the  roll  of 
Christians.  In  reality  it  was  headed,  “The  list  of  those 
who  recanted.”  In  Kioto  the  officer  threatened  burn- 
ings, and,  to  show  that  he  meant  it,  set  up  many  stakes 
on  the  execution  ground.  Next  day  every  Christian 
house  in  the  capital  had  a similar  stake  in  front  of  it 
as  a sign  of  the  faith  of  the  inmates,  and  to  show  that 
no  tortures  were  feared.  When  they  were  brought 
actually  to  the  stake  they  were  loosely  tied  so  that,  if 
they  weakened  when  the  fire  was  kindled,  they  could 
escape.  All  endured  the  torment  to  the  last.  The 
foreign  and  Japanese  priests  were  hastily  collected  at 
Nagasaki,  and  in  the  anxiety  to  get  them  out  of  the 
country  at  once  they  were  forced  to  embark  on  three 
ill-equipped  Chinese  junks,  the  only  sea-going  vessels 
that  were  available.  Several  of  the  oldest  died  on  the 
voyage  to  Manila  and  Macao.  Along  with  them  went 
Takayama,  who  adhered  to  his  religion  and  was  also 
banished.  He  was  received  with  almost  royal  honours 
at  Manila,  but  died  soon  after  his  arrival. 

Fifteen  European  priests  and  some  catechists  re- 
mained behind  after  the  general  expulsion.  They 
refused  to  leave  their  flocks  in  the  hour  of  trial  wholly 
without  the  spiritual  aid  of  experienced  pastors,  and 
with  the  help  of  their  converts  they  escaped  the  general 
muster.  Thenceforward  their  lives  were  those  of  hunted 


260 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


fugitives,  hunted  with  far  more  energy,  far  more  relent- 
lessness than  were  the  Irish  priests  of  the  sixteenth  and 
seventeenth  centuries  by  the  Protestant  soldiers  and 
settlers  of  Elizabeth  and  James.  Their  chances  of 
escape  were  infinitely  less  than  those  of  their  Irish 
brothers.  In  Ireland  priests,  once  they  had  discarded 
their  clerical  robes,  were  indistinguishable  from  the  rest 
of  the  population.  Every  one  around  them  was  devoted 
to  them  and  ready  to  run  all  risks  of  life  and  property 
to  conceal  and  defend  them.  In  Japan  no  possible  dis- 
guise could  render  the  European  priests  indistinguish- 
able from  the  people  around  them ; complexion,  eyes, 
hair,  stature,  and  accent,  no  matter  what  was  their  skill 
in  the  language,  all  betrayed  them,  and  the  moment 
they  were  seen  they  were  known.  They  hid  in  caves, 
in  wretched  huts  amid  thick  forests  on  wild  mountain 
sides,  amidst  the  rocks  on  lonely  shores,  enduring  all 
the  worst  privations  of  cold  and  hunger,  and  in  the 
slums  of  the  cities,1  everywhere  aided,  as  far  as  human 
help  could  be  given  to  them,  by  their  converts,  though 
great  rewards  were  offered  for  their  apprehension,  re- 
wards so  great  that  they  meant  riches  for  life  to  a 
Japanese  even  if  he  were  of  what  may  be  called  the 
well-to-do  middle  classes,  and  ruin  and  death  threatened 
to  those  and  all  their  relations,  who  helped  to  hide  or 
succour  them.  There  was  not  one  solitary  incident  of 
betrayal,  but  many  of  the  priests  were  found,  many 
came  boldly  out  of  their  hiding  to  give  their  spiritual 
ministration  to  their  converts  in  their  last  hour  of  suffer- 
ing, and  to  share  that  suffering  and  die  with  them.  And 
as  one  priest  died,  two  were  smuggled  into  the  country 
to  replace  him.  The  perils  of  the  ocean  voyage  from 
Macao  or  Manila,  not  only  from  storm  and  uncharted 
seas,  but  from  pirates,  were  great.  Many  were  lost  at 
sea.  One  ship  with  seven  priests  on  board  was  taken 
1 One  remained  four  days  at  the  bottom  of  a well. 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  SECOND  PERSECUTION  261 


by  Chinese  pirates,  and  all  were  slaughtered.  The 
Dutch  privateers  harried  them  throughout,  and  no  more 
mercy  was  to  be  expected  from  them  than  from  the 
most  savage  Malay  or  Chinese  pirate;  if  their  lives  were 
spared,  it  was  only  that  they  might  be  handed  over  to 
the  officials  of  the  first  Japanese  port  at  which  they 
touched,  the  Dutch  being  content  to  buy  commercial 
privileges  for  themselves  by  giving  their  fellow  Chris- 
tians over  to  the  horrors  of  Asiatic  torture.  And  when 
all  the  perils  of  the  sea  were  overcome  and  the  priest 
safely  smuggled  on  shore  in  some  secluded  spot  on  the 
coast,  the  prospect  before  him  was  that  of  a miserable 
fugitive  life  for  a few  years,  perhaps  for  a few  months, 
and  then  a cruel  death  by  torture.  Still  new  priests  of 
all  fraternities  came,  and  to  the  last  chapter,  till  there 
was  not  a single  avowed  Christian  left  in  Japan,  till  all 
intercourse  with  foreign  countries  was  forbidden  and 
by  no  possibility  could  strangers  land  or  even  approach 
the  coast,  the  Japanese  were  never  left  without  the  aid 
of  foreign  priests  to  keep  their  faith  strong  and  to  share 
their  martyrdom. 

Iyeyasu  died  in  1616,  but  the  crusade  started  by  him 
was  carried  on  by  his  son  and  successor  and  again  by 
his  successor,  with  increased  relentlessness.  Successive 
edicts  were  issued  in  1616,  1624,  1633,  1634  and  1637, 
each  succeeding  one  more  drastic  than  its  predecessor. 
The  whole  story  of  the  persecution  is  full  of  horrors, 
full  of  tales  of  heroic  courage  and  suffering.  It  does  not 
pale  before  the  worst  records  of  the  cruelty  of  Nero  or 
Alva,  and  there  are  none  of  the  incidents  of  the  persecu- 
tion of  the  primitive  Christians  in  Rome  that  do  not 
find  their  counterpart  in  those  that  took  place  in  Japan, 
whether  in  the  sufferings  or  in  the  constant  faith  and 
heroism  of  the  martyrs.  At  first,  death  was  only  in- 
flicted in  the  ordinary  forms  of  decapitation,  crucifixion 
or  burning.  \\  hen  this  was  found  ineffective,  and 


262 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


when  not  only  martyrs  went  in  triumph  to  the  cross  or 
stake,  and  openly  prayed  to  God  till  the  last  gasp  of 
agony  was  over,  but  relations  and  friends  pressed 
eagerly  around  to  share  the  glories  of  their  martyrdom, 
further  measures  were  taken.  Parents  were  slowly  done 
to  death  in  the  presence  of  their  young  children,  and 
young  children  in  the  presence  of  their  parents.  The 
victims  were  of  every  rank,  sex  and  age,  from  the 
territorial  prince,  the  Court  lady  delicately  reared  and 
accustomed  to  refined  luxury,  down  to  the  lowest 
labourer  of  the  fields.  All  were  brethren,  and  all 
suffered  alike.  An  old  woman  ninety  years  of  age  was 
crucified,  a female  infant  only  one  year  old  was  be- 
headed. Scores  and  scores  of  children,  of  both  sexes, 
under  twelve  years  died  unflinchingly  after  they  had 
first  seen  their  parents  tied  to  the  stake  and  slowly 
perish  in  flames  before  their  eyes.  All  this  failed  to 
accomplish  its  end.  Christians  still  gloried  in  their  faith, 
and  new  and  horrible  forms  of  death  were  devised,  and 
even  these  were  preceded  by  slow  and  agonizing  tortures. 

“The  tyrant,  finding-  them  constant  to  their  resolution 
(notwithstanding  the  persuasion  of  friends  to  the  contrary), 
ordered  they  should  be  stripped  naked  and  plunged  into  the 
cold  frozen  river.  The  Executioners  did  as  they  were  com- 
manded, and  every  now  and  then  took  them  out  to  see  if 
they  would  comply  with  the  Governor’s  orders  and  renounce 
the  faith.  After  they  had  endured  this  torment  for  a con- 
siderable time,  they  mounted  them,  naked  as  they  were, 
on  horseback,  and  carried  them  about  the  streets  for  a show. 
At  the  turning  of  the  streets  the  officer  commanded  them 
to  alight,  and  demanded  of  them  to  renounce  Jesus  Christ, 
or  expect  what  followed ; and  immediately  the  soldiers 
poured  pails  of  water  over  their  heads.  Being  washed 
after  this  manner  in  all  the  public  places  of  the  town,  they 
tied  them  at  night  to  one  of  the  gates,  leaving  them  exposed 
there  to  the  indignities  and  insolences  of  the  mob,  who 
repeated  the  torment  again,  till  the  natural  heat  was  quite 
extinguished.” 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  SECOND  PERSECUTION  263 


“Soon  after  they  conducted  Father  Caravail  to  Prison, 
where  he  continued  till  the  22nd  of  February.  Early  that  morn- 
ing he  was  taken  out,  in  order,  as  was  thought,  to  be  burnt, 
but  contrary  to  expectation  they  cut  short  in  the  way,  and 
threw  him  into  the  ditch  again,  where  he  continued  that 
whole  day.  As  night  came  on  the  water  froze,  and  drifts 
of  snow  beating  upon  him  at  the  same  time,  the  torment 
grew  insupportable.  He  yielded  up  his  soul  to  God  about 
midnight,  after  fifteen  hours’  torment  in  the  frozen  water.” 

“The  Governor,  finding  entreaties  took  no  effect,  com- 
manded the  soldiers  to  lay  old  Thomas  on  two  iron  bars 
over  hot  coals.  Two  men  held  his  feet  and  two  his  hands, 
not  for  fear  of  his  running  away,  but  to  turn  him  from 
side  to  side  like  another  St.  Laurence.  In  a word,  they 
roasted  him  from  head  to  foot,  and  yet,  what  is  stupendous, 
old  as  he  was,  he  endured  the  torment  with  invincible 
patience.  The  judges,  in  hopes  of  working  upon  the  son 
by  the  Father’s  torments,  made  him  be  present  there  the 
whole  time. 

“Then  they  used  the  son  like  the  Father,  and  turned  him 
from  side  to  side.  The  fire  was  so  quick  and  sharp  that 
one  might  see  his  bones  through  his  skin.” 

“At  the  entrance  of  the  enclosure  stood  an  officer  to 
question  them  about  their  religion,  and  such  as  remained 
steady  and  constant  he  thrust  in  among  the  Executioners, 
who  immediately  fell  upon  them,  tearing  off  their  hair  (the 
greatest  affront  that  can  be  offered  to  a Japanese),  plucking 
off  their  ears  with  hot  pincers,  treading  them  under  foot, 
beating  them  with  sticks,  and  tormenting  them  all  the  ways 
imaginable,  to  tire  out  their  patience,  and  make  them  feel 
the  pangs  of  death  without  yet  killing  them  quite  out. 

“After  this  first  prelude  they  stripped  them  naked,  bound 
them  with  cords  on  the  ground,  buffeting  them  with  old 
shoes  and  besmearing  them  with  dirt,  and  after  a thousand 
other  indignities  and  affronts  they  were  thrown  Hand  over 
Head  into  a hole,  where  several  had  like  to  have  been  stifled 
in  the  throng. 

“Next  morning  they  brought  them  again  into  the  List,  and 
renewed  the  combat  by  a most  unheard-of  cruelty.  The 
Executioners  took  two  octangular  pieces  of  wood,  and  placed 
the  Martyrs’  feet  between  them.  Then,  tying  them  straight 
at  one  end,  they  danced  and  leaped  upon  the  other,  to  crush 
their  bones  to  pieces.” 


264 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Not  far  from  Nagasaki  there  is  a range  of  lovely 
forest-clad  mountains,  varying  in  height  from  two  to 
five  thousand  feet,  the  turf  on  which,  in  spring  and 
summer,  glows  with  a surpassing  wealth  of  the  bright- 
est wild  flowers.  They  command  glorious  prospects  of 
vale  and  sea,  their  glens,  through  which  rush  sparkling 
streamlets,  are  scenes  of  romantic  and  wild  beauty,  and 
no  more  delightful  spots  could  be  imagined  amid  which 
to  idle  away  a summer’s  day.  These  hills  are  now 
visited  every  summer  by  large  numbers  of  European 
residents,  not  only  from  Nagasaki,  but  from  all  the 
ports  on  the  coast  of  China,  who  come  here  to  find 
refuge  and  change  from  their  malarious  homes  in  the 
pure  and  health-giving  mountain  air.  They  are  in  the 
centre  of  a highly  volcanic  region,  and  among  the  hills 
are  some  sulphur  springs,  some  of  them  large  ponds  of 
great  depth,  whose  desolate  sulphur-covered  surround- 
ings form  a vivid  contrast  to  the  beauties  of  nature  amid 
which  they  lie.  The  water  in  these  ponds  is  for  ever 
boiling  and  seething  with  subterranean  fires,  with  such 
violence  that  it  rises  in  great  bubbles  often  to  the  height 
of  several  feet  from  the  level.  The  names  given  to  them 
by  the  Japanese  well  typify  the  horrors  of  their  appear- 
ance. “Great,  little  and  middle  Hell,”  “The  mouth  of 
Hell,”  “The  Infernal  waters,”  varied  occasionally  by  a 
more  poetical  title  such  as,  “The  Loud  Wailer.”  The 
temperature  of  the  water  is  over  200°  Fahrenheit.  The 
Jesuits  well  compared  them  to  the  “Lakes  of  Brimstone 
and  Fire  described  in  the  Apocalypse.” 

Finding  the  torture  of  the  sea  1 without  effect,  the  per- 
secutors resolved  to  try  the  boiling  waters  of  Unzen. 
Sixteen  obstinate  Christians  were  taken  out  of  prison  and 
brought  there.  All  of  them  were  bound  on  the  verge  of  the 
precipice  overlooking  the  great  pond,  then  stones  were 
tied  to  them  and  they  were  pitched  in.  This  was  not 

1 Repeated  immersions  in  the  sea  in  winter  until  the  victim  died. 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  SECOND  PERSECUTION  265 


sufficient.  The  last  was  slowly  lowered  by  ropes  head 
downwards  and  immersed  and  taken  out  three  times  be- 
fore being  allowed  to  sink  to  the  bottom.  A few  days  later 
ten  more  were  taken.  Their  deaths  were  slower  and  more 
refined  than  the  first.  They  were  repeatedly  immersed, 
the  women  up  to  their  breasts;  then  not  drowned  as 
were  the  first,  but  taken  out  and  the  boiling  water 
poured  on  them  till  they  died.  Wounds  were  cut  in  the 
men  with  knives  and  the  water  poured  into  the  wounds. 

In  all  these  sufferings  the  priests  shared.  There  was 
no  torture  before  death,  no  hideous  form  of  death  itself 
through  which  the  priests  did  not  pass  along  with  their 
converts,  not  even  the  boiling  waters  of  Unzen  or  the  slow 
agonizing  death  of  the  pit.1  On  the  2nd  of  September, 
1622,  more  than  fifty  Christians  were  beheaded  or  burnt 
at  Nagasaki.  Eighteen  were  priests,  all  of  whom  were  burnt 
alive,  among  them  Charles  Spinola,  a cadet  of  one  of  the 
most  noble  of  the  great  families  of  Genoa,  perhaps  next 
to  Xavier  the  greatest  missionary  who  worked  in  Japan. 

“ Many  of  the  priests  had  been  in  prison  for  four  years 
before  their  execution.  Nine  of  them  were  of  the  ‘ Society 
of  Jesus,’  the  rest  partly  of  St.  Dominick,  and  partly  of 
St.  Francis’  Order,  together  with  ten  pious  Christians. 
They  lay  winter  and  summer  exposed  to  the  weather. 
Brother  Fernandez  was  perfectly  starved  to  death.  Father 
Charles  Spinola  never  once  changed  his  clothes  in  three 
years’  time,  so  that  he  was  covered  over  with  ordure  and 
filth.  But  the  greatest  torment  of  all  was  the  intolerable 
stench  and  the  noisomeness  and  filth  of  the  prison,  which 
bred  such  swarms  of  Vermin  about  them  that  they  were  little 
better  than  eaten  alive.  In  a word,  the  place  was  in  itself 

1 The  torture  of  the  pit  was  both  long  and  terrible.  A deep  hole 
was  dug  in  the  ground  and  a gallows  erected  in  it.  From  this  the  con- 
demned, tightly  bound,  was  suspended  head  downwards  in  the  hole, 
the  mouth  of  which  was  covered  with  planks,  so  that  all  the  agony  had 
to  be  endured  in  darkness.  Each  day  the  planks  were  taken  off  for  a 
few  minutes  to  give  an  opportunity  to  the  condemned  to  show,  with  a 
motion  of  one  hand,  which  was  left  free  for  the  purpose,  if  he  recanted. 
In  many  cases,  both  of  the  priests  and  natives,  four  or  more  days 
elapsed  before  death  put  an  end  to  their  sufferings. 


266 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


a perfect  resemblance  of  Hell,  and  their  life  a continual 
martyrdom.  Their  common  allowance  was  a spoonful  of 
black  rice  boiled  in  water,  with  porridge  made  of  roots,  and 
sometimes  a herring  half  rotten  ; but  this  dainty  was  soon 
retrenched.” 

In  1623  fifty  were  burnt  alive  at  one  time  in  Yedo, 
and  twenty-five  at  another,  many  priests  and  well-born 
ladies  among  them.  Soon  after,  eighteen  children,  so 
young  and  innocent  that  they  played  with  their  usual 
toys  as  they  passed  through  the  streets  on  their  way  to 
the  execution  ground,  were  not  burnt,  but  beheaded,  cut 
in  two,  or  hacked  to  pieces  with  swords,  and  all  this 
was  done  in  the  presence  of  ladies,  who  expected  soon 
to  share  the  same  fate.  In  November  1629  seventy- 
two  were  simultaneously  executed  at  Omura,  forty  of 
whom  were  burnt  alive,  twentv-nine  beheaded,  and 
three  crucified.  Most  of  them  suffered  for  having  given 
shelter  to  the  European  priests.  In  1636  Father  Mas- 
trilli,  a Neapolitan,  after  some  years’  service  in  India, 
landed  secretly  in  Japan,  but  was  almost  immediately 
arrested.  He  underwent  the  torture  of  water1  in  both 
its  forms  on  one  day,  and  of  the  pit  for  five  days  before 
being  beheaded.  At  his  death  there  were  only  five 
European  priests  left,  more  than  four  score  having 
already  undergone  martyrdom,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  the  last  of  these  five  had  given  up  his  life  in  the 
pit.  With  their  deaths,  the  story  of  European  mission- 
aries in  Japan  closed  for  nearly  230  years,  and  almost 
simultaneously  the  last  chapter  of  that  of  native 
Christianity  also  came  to  its  end. 

In  no  part  of  the  Empire  was  the  persecution  carried 
on  with  more  severity  than  in  the  Northern  Province  of 
Oshiu,  the  fief  of  Date  Masamune,  one  of  the  greatest 
of  the  territorial  princes  of  ancient  lineage,  a soldier 

1 The  torture  of  water  was  similar  to  that  practised  in  Europe  in  the 
Middle  Ages. 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  SECOND  PERSECUTION  267 


who  fought  both  in  Korea  and  by  Iyeyasu’s  side  in  the 
Osaka  campaigns,  who  in  his  early  youth,  before  Hide- 
yoshi  had  quelled  local  wars,  used  his  strong  arm  and 
his  military  genius  and  strength  to  increase  at  the 
expense  of  his  neighbours  the  domains  which  he  in- 
herited from  his  father.  He  was  deep  in  the  confidence 
of  Iyeyasu,  and  was  regarded  by  him  as  one  of  his  most 
trusted  supporters,  and  honoured  by  being  included 
among  five  princes  whom  it  was  the  Shogun’s  duty  to 
meet  outside  the  city  on  their  annual  arrival  at  Yedo. 
Missionary  work  was  at  first  freely  permitted  in  Sendai, 
his  capital,  and  throughout  his  fief,  but  when  Iyeyasu 
decreed,  in  his  final  edict,  that  Christianity  should  be 
extirpated,  Masamune  was  far  too  devoted  to  his  own 
interests  in  maintaining  the  favour  of  the  Shogun  to 
hesitate  as  to  the  course  he  should  take,  and  he  gave 
himself  heart  and  soul  to  carrying  out  the  work  which 
his  suzerain  enjoined.  Sendai  lies  far  to  the  north  of 
Yedo.  The  winter  is  incomparably  more  severe,  and 
it  was  there  that  the  torture  of  exposure  to  the  cold,  of 
casting  the  condemned  priests  and  native  converts  into 
rivers  and  ditches  to  slowly  freeze  to  death,  was  most 
frequent.  It  was  there  that  Father  Caravail,  whose 
death  has  been  described,  and  many  other  priests  suf- 
fered their  last  agonies.  And  yet,  only  a few  months 
previous  to  the  issue  of  Iyeyasu’s  edict,  when  Chris- 
tianity had  already  gone  through  its  first  persecution, 
but  was  enjoying  the  lull  that  followed  it,  this  very 
same  Prince  sent,  in  his  own  name,  an  embassy  to  the 
Pope,  which  was  charged  with  messages  that  he  was 
anxious  that  all  his  subjects  should  be  converted,  and 
that  he  therefore  begged  that  a large  number  of  mis- 
sionaries should  be  promptly  sent  to  his  own  domains. 

This  was  the  second  embassy  that  left  the  shores  of 
Japan  for  Europe.  The  story  of  the  first  has  been  told 
in  the  preceding  chapter.  Neither  can  properly  be 


2G8 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


called  an  embassy,  as  neither  represented  the  Sovereign. 
The  first  was  sent  by  a few  Southern  princes,  the  second 
by  one  Northern  prince,  but  both  were  received  in 
Europe  as  though  they  came  from  Sovereign  lords. 
Date,  in  the  credentials  which  he  gave  to  his  own  mis- 
sion, actually  described  himself  as  the  King  of  Oshiu, 
and  the  imposture  was  successful.  Jesuit  priests  at 
Rome,  who  knew  from  their  correspondents  in  Japan 
that  there  was  no  King  of  Oshiu,  pointed  out  that  the 
messenger  only  represented  a local  prince,  but  they  w'ere 
disregarded,  and  their  remonstrances  were  ascribed  to 
their  jealousy  at  the  fact  that  the  mission  was  accom- 
panied, guided  and  introduced  by  a priest  of  the  Fran- 
ciscan order.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  priest 
was  w holly  deceived  by  the  astute  old  prince.  The  latter 
had  no  desire  to  see  Christianity  introduced  into  his  fief 
on  a large  scale.  His  hope  was  through  missionaries 
to  get  a share  of  the  foreign  trade  that  was  enriching  the 
South,  to  procure  teachers  of  foreign  science  for  his 
people,  and  so  increase  his  own  wealth  and  importance. 
Perhaps  he  may  have  cherished  in  the  inmost  recesses 
of  his  heart  the  hope  that  if  not  he  himself  (he  was 
already  of  ripe  middle  age),  some  one  of  his  successors 
might  become  another  Nobunaga  or  Iyeyasu,  and  rule 
the  whole  Empire  as  they  had  done  or  were  doing. 
Iyeyasu’s  future  was  not  then  absolutely  assured.  Hide- 
yori  was  still  safe  in  his  great  castle  at  Osaka,  still  had 
a powerful  following  in  the  Empire.  He  w’as  young, 
and  if  he  survived  Iyeyasu  and  disputed  the  succession  to 
the  Shogunate  with  Iyeyasu’s  son,  who  had  little  of  the 
ability  of  his  father,  a powerful  territorial  prince,  who 
was  also  a veteran  and  talented  general,  might  possibly 
obtain  the  prize  for  which  both  were  contending. 

Be  the  reasons  what  they  may,  the  mission  was  sent. 
It  was  a spirited  and  venturesome  undertaking.  The 
mission  sailed  in  a small  ship  and  crossed  the  little- 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  SECOND  PERSECUTION  269 


known  Pacific  Ocean,  finally,  after  a voyage  of  four 
months’  duration,  arriving  at  Mexico.  From  there  it 
made  its  way  to  Spain,  where  the  members  were  received 
with  all  honour  by  the  King,  Philip  III.  Then  it  pro- 
ceeded to  Genoa,  where  it  was  received  with  no  less 
honour  by  the  republican  dignitaries,  and  in  the  end  it 
arrived  at  Rome.  Tidings  of  the  new  persecutions  in 
Japan  had,  however,  reached  Europe,  and  neither  the 
request  for  more  missionaries  nor  a further  one  that 
the  Pope  should  use  his  influence  in  cementing  a formal 
alliance  between  Masamune  and  the  King  of  Spain  for 
their  mutual  interests  in  the  Eastern  Seas  was  cordially 
heard,  and  the  favourable  consideration  of  both  was 
deferred.  The  head  of  the  mission  was  one  of  Masa- 
mune’s  principal  vassals  named  Hasekura.  His  adviser 
and  colleague  was  Father  Sotelo,  a Franciscan  priest,  a 
Spaniard,  who  had  lived  and  worked  for  many  years  in 
Japan.  Hasekura  and  his  staff  of  his  own  countrymen 
all  gave  evidence  of  their  sincerity  by  receiving  baptism 
when  in  Rome.  It  was  in  the  autumn  of  the  year  1613 
that  they  sailed  from  Oshiu.  It  was  in  the  winter  of 
1615  that  they  arrived  at  Rome,  and  returning  to  Japan 
by  the  same  way  as  they  had  come,  by  Mexico  and  the 
Pacific,  but  this  time  calling  at  Manila,  they  only 
reached  Sendai  in  1620.  There  they  found  that  every- 
thing was  changed.  Persecution  was  in  full  force. 
They  brought  no  new  missionaries  with  them,  and  none 
were  wanted.  Hasekura  promptly  recanted,  and  Sotelo, 
who  parted  from  him  at  Manila,  and  landed  on  his 
return  journey  at  Nagasaki,  was  on  his  arrival  there  at 
once  arrested  and  burnt  to  death.  Many  interesting 
mementoes  of  this  embassy,  the  letters  which  it  bore 
with  it  and  received,  are  still  in  the  possession  of  the 
Date  family  and  have  been  published,  and  the  interest 
attached  to  these  documents  renders  the  whole  of  its 
story  worth  telling;  but,  while  the  first  embassy  sent 


270 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


from  the  South  was  sincere  in  its  object,  while  its  mem- 
bers were  devoted  Christians  (one  at  least  of  them  suf- 
fered martyrdom),  whose  main  objects  were  to  promote 
the  welfare  of  their  religion  in  their  own  country  and  to 
receive  the  apostolic  blessings  of  the  Pope,  the  second 
was  conceived  in  dishonesty,  fraudulent  in  the  character 
which  it  assumed,  and  no  further  evidence  that  Chris- 
tianity was  among  the  last  of  its  real  aims  is  required 
than  the  fact  that  the  Prince  who  sent  it,  and  who  pro- 
fessed a desire  for  his  own  and  his  people’s  baptism,  was 
among  the  most  cruel  persecutors  before  it  reached 
Rome,  and  was  actually  slaying  and  torturing  Chris- 
tians while  his  accredited  messenger  was  professing  his 
faith  to  the  Pope. 

Kiushiu  was  always  the  stronghold  of  Christianity, 
and,  except  in  the  town  of  Nagasaki,  Christians  were 
more  numerous,  relative  to  the  whole  population,  in  the 
fiefs  of  Arima  and  Omura,  in  the  extreme  south  of  the 
province  of  Hizen,  than  in  other  parts  of  the  island. 
Here  the  Christians,  plundered  and  tortured  beyond  all 
human  endurance,  fled  from  other  parts,  and,  seeing 
that  they  had  no  choice  between  extermination  and  re- 
cantation of  their  faith,  they  gathered  together  to  the 
number  of  more  than  40,000,  men,  women  and  children, 
and  took  possession  of  the  castle-town  of  Shimabara, 
which  lies  on  the  sea,  just  below  the  Unzen  mountains. 
Most  of  them  were  peasants  unused  to  arms,  and  they 
had  no  capable  leader.  Many  were,  however,  Samurai, 
and  Samurai  and  peasant  alike  were  animated  by  the 
same  spirit,  knowing  that  there  was  no  escape  for  them, 
or  for  those  dear  to  them,  from  death,  and  that  being  so 
they  would  sell  their  lives  in  battle,  fighting  bravely  to  the 
last  rather  than  lose  them  at  the  hands  of  the  torturer 
and  the  executioner.  Their  fighting  strength  at  first 
seemed  contemptible,  but  Shimabara  is  strongly  situated  ; 
defended  by  trained  soldiers  it  might  have  been  im- 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  SECOND  PERSECUTION  271 


pregnable,  and  it  was  well  provisioned  from  the  fertile 
districts  around  it  and  from  the  Government  rice  stores 
which  were  seized. 

The  Government  soon  realized  that  the  suppression 
of  this  outbreak  would  be  no  light  task,  and  an  army 
of  160,000  men,  commanded  by  Itakura  Shigemasa,  the 
most  capable  general  of  the  time,  was  considered  neces- 
sary to  carry  it  to  its  end.  The  siege  commenced  in 
the  last  days  of  1637.  Repeated  assaults  were  made, 
but  beaten  back  by  the  defenders,  all  of  whom,  knowing 
that  there  were  no  hopes  of  mercy  in  any  form  for  those 
who  were  both  rebels  and  Christians,  fought  with  equal 
desperation  and  courage.  The  walls  of  the  castle  re- 
mained intact,  and  after  the  siege  had  lasted  for  over 
six  weeks,  after  many  men  had  fallen,  and  the  end 
seemed  just  as  remote  as  ever,  the  commander  of  the 
besiegers  sent  to  the  Dutch  at  Hirado  for  assistance. 
The  guns  in  the  hands  of  the  besiegers  could  make  no 
impression  on  the  walls,  but  the  Dutch  ocean-going 
ships  were  armed  with  much  heavier  artillery,  which  was 
served  by  more  skilful  gunners  than  the  Japanese  could 
call  on  among  themselves.  Ivoeckebecker,  the  head  of 
the  Dutch  factory,  knew  the  object  for  which  his  help 
was  asked.  He  and  his  predecessors  had  often  witnessed 
the  dying  agonies  of  the  Christian  martyrs  : he  knew 
that  Shimabara  was  defended  by  Christians  driven  to 
despair  by  persecution,  and  he  knew  the  fate  which 
awaited  them  when  the  castle  fell.  With  all  this  know- 
ledge he  did  not  hesitate.  The  trading  privileges  of  his 
company  were  dearer  to  him  than  any  thought  of  mercy 
to  those,  who,  though  of  a different  sect,  were  of  the 
same  religion  of  Christ  as  himself.  Those  privileges 
depended  on  the  Japanese  Government,  and  here  was  a 
chance  to  win  its  favour,  perhaps  to  secure  a monopoly 
which  would  bring  untold  riches  to  his  Company  for 
generations  to  come.  To  his  own  eternal  infamy,  to  the 


272 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


everlasting  dishonour  of  his  country,  lie  not  only  sent 
his  greatest  and  most  powerfully  armed  ship  to  Shima- 
bara,  which  lay  on  the  sea,  safe  against  any  ships  that 
the  Japanese  possessed,  but  went  in  command  himself. 
Anchored  at  a safe  distance  off  the  devoted  town,  where 
no  shot  that  its  defenders  could  fire  could  reach  him, 
over  four  hundred  balls  from  his  great  guns  were  fired 
into  the  town  within  fifteen  days.1  Still  the  defenders 
held  out.  At  last  a breach  was  made  in  the  walls, 
through  which  the  besiegers  poured  in,  and  the  inmates 
of  the  town  and  castle,  men,  women  and  children,  were 
slaughtered  without  pity  or  mercy.  The  besiegers’ 
general,  Itakura,  was  killed  when  leading  his  men,  and 
his  tomb  can  still  be  seen  in  Shimabara.  How  the 
Dutch  were  rewarded  will  be  told  in  the  next  chapter. 
It  was  on  the  12th  of  April,  1638,  that  Shimabara  fell, 
and  more  than  two  and  a quarter  centuries  were  destined 
to  elapse  before  Japanese  were  again  in  arms  against 
each  other  on  their  own  soil. 

With  this  massacre,  the  story  of  Christianity  in  old 
Japan  may  be  said  to  have  ended.  Many  Christians 
still  survived,  but  they  were  all  of  the  lowest  classes, 
and  leaderless  and  priestless,  cowed  by  the  terrors  of 
the  terrible  persecution  which  had  destroyed  their  co- 
religionists, none  of  them  dared  profess  their  faith  in 

1 It  will  scarcely  be  credible  that  a Dutch  gentleman  of  the  last 
quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century  openly  defended  the  action  of  his  coun- 
trymen in  this  affair.  A most  interesting  and  exhaustive  account  of  it  is 
contained  in  a paper  read  before  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Japan  by  Dr. 
Geerts,  a distinguished  scientist  in  the  service  of  the  Japanese  Govern- 
ment, in  which  he  alleges  that  Koeckebecker  only  did  what  every  wise 
man  would  have  done — assisted  the  Government  to  put  down  rebels. 
Even  the  Japanese  at  the  time  had  considerable  hesitation  in  asking 
for  the  services  of  the  Dutch,  inquiring  first  whether  they  would  be 
willing  to  take  part  in  the  operations  against  Christians.  All  the 
banners  of  the  defenders  were  marked  with  the  cross,  and  everywhere 
crosses  were  visible  on  the  walls.  The  secret  of  Koeckebecker’s  action 
is  to  be  found  in  his  instructions  : — “ He  was  to  save  at  any  price  the 
commerce  with  Japan.”  These  instructions  were  from  the  head  office 
at  Batavia. 


CHRISTIANITY  TO  SECOND  PERSECUTION  273 


public,  and  to  preserve  their  lives  they  no  doubt  all  had 
to  submit  to  the  ordeal  of  public  abjuration  of  their  faith. 
The  most  rigid  system  of  supervision  was  instituted, 
one  so  thorough  in  its  exhaustiveness,  so  cumulative  in 
its  responsibilities,  that  none  could  escape.  It  is  fully 
described  by  Kaempfer,  who  saw  its  operation.  The 
Governor  of  the  town  was  responsible  for  all  in  it : the 
district  chiefs  for  all  in  their  own  districts  : the  ward 
masters  for  all  in  one  street,  and  the  householders  in 
every  street  were  registered  in  groups  of  five,  and  the 
head  of  the  five  was  responsible  for  the  other  four.  If 
one  single  Christian  was  permitted  to  remain,  all  from 
the  head  man  of  five  up  to  the  Governor  had  to  answer 
for  it,  perhaps  with  their  lives.  Once  every  year  a tablet, 
engraved  with  the  cross,  was  carried  from  house  to  house, 
and  in  the  presence  of  officers  appointed  for  the  purpose 
— their  official  title  was  Kirishtan  Bugiyo — Christian 
Commissioners — every  member  of  each  household,  from 
the  master  down  to  the  lowest  coolie,  was  forced  to 
trample  on  the  cross,  and  thus  testify  his  abjuration  of  the 
hated  doctrine.  In  every  street,  in  every  village,  and  on 
every  high  road  in  Japan,  public  notices  were  affixed 
forbidding  the  practice  of  the  “evil  sect,”  and  promising 
rewards  to  informers.1  It  was  a curious  principle  of 
the  Tokugawa  Government  to  keep  the  provisions  of  the 
Criminal  Law  secret.  People,  they  argued,  if  they 
knew  the  utmost  prescribed  penalty  for  an  offence, 
might  be  inclined  to  risk  it,  and  the  best  of  people 
would  be  all  the  more  careful  of  their  conduct  if  they 
were  ignorant  of  what  might  possibly  be  a crime.  An 
exception  was  made  in  the  case  of  Christianity,  and 

1 These  notices  were  not  finally  removed  until  the  present  Emperor 
had  been  five  years  on  the  throne.  The  crosses  on  which  the  natives 
were  forced  to  trample  were  engravings  of  the  Crucifixion  on  metal 
slabs,  which  were  made  from  metal  taken  from  the  altars  of  the 
destroyed  Christian  churches.  Some  that  were  actually  used  are  now 
preserved  in  the  Tokio  Museum. 

T 


274 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


there  was  no  citizen  of  the  Empire  who  could  plead 
ignorance  that  it  was  forbidden  and  that  its  practice 
meant  death. 

With  all  this,  Christianity  did  not  die  in  Japan,  nor 
was  it  forgotten  by  the  followers  of  those  who  first 
introduced  it.  Sidotti,  an  Italian  Jesuit,  stole  into  the 
country  in  1707,  to  try  and  rekindle  the  fires  which  his 
brethren  had  lighted,  and  the  story  of  his  life  and  death 
in  Japan  is  one  that  only  the  length  to  which  this 
chapter  has  already  attained  prevents  our  telling.  When 
Japan  was  at  last  thrown  open  to  the  world  in  1858,  and 
it  became  under  the  new  Treaties  free  once  more,  after 
two  hundred  and  fifty  years,  to  missionary  enterprise, 
priests  of  the  Roman  Church  found  in  obscure  villages, 
in  every  quarter,  in  Kiushiu,  where  the  poorest  toilers  of 
the  people  lived,  even  in  the  mines  of  Sado,  hundreds 
who,  through  all  the  long  years  which  had  passed  since 
they  last  had  priests  to  guide  and  comfort  them,  had 
clung  to  the  faith  for  which  their  fathers  died,  and  still 
in  secret  practised  all  the  formalities  of  its  worship  to 
the  best  of  their  simple  knowledge.  They  had  to  go 
through  another  era  of  persecution,  when  their  exist- 
ence, which  had  never  even  been  suspected  by  their  own 
authorities,  became  known  to  the  newly  established 
Government  of  his  Imperial  Majesty  who  is  now  on  the 
throne.  This  time  Japan  had  to  count  not  with  a few 
handfuls  of  Spaniards  and  Portuguese,  but  with  all  the 
might  of  the  Great  Powers  of  Europe,  who  had  no  will 
to  see  the  profession  of  the  religion,  whose  great  prin- 
ciples were  common  to  all  of  them,  made  a crime.  The 
persecution  was  limited  to  the  breaking  up  of  com- 
munities and  their  removal  to  other  districts.  That  only 
lasted  till  1872,  and  then  the  people  were  restored  to 
their  old  homes,  the  public  notices  withdrawn,  and 
religion  became  free  to  all. 


CHAPTER  XV 


EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE 

The  name  of  Japan  was  first  made  known  to  Europeans 
by  the  famous  Venetian  traveller,  Marco  Polo,  who  lived 
for  seventeen  years,  in  the  last  quarter  of  the  thirteenth 
century,  at  the  Court  of  Kublai  Khan,  the  account  of 
whose  travels  was  first  published  at  Genoa  in  the  year 
1298,  where  he  was  then  a prisoner  of  war.  Marco  Polo 
never  visited  Japan  himself,  but  he  had  every  oppor- 
tunity of  hearing  of  it,  as  it  was  during  his  residence 
at  the  Court  that  Kublai  Khan’s  ill-fated  attempt  to 
invade  the  islands  was  made,  the  story  of  which  we  have 
already  told.  Many  particulars  are  given  in  his  book 
as  to  the  foreign  trade  of  Japan,  which  he  calls  Zipangu, 
its  people,  its  government  and  geography,  and,  above 
all,  its  wealth:  “gold  was  so  abundant  that  the  riches 
of  the  king  were  incalculable,  and  even  the  roof  of  his 
palace  was  covered  with  gold,  as  are  those  of  the  Italian 
churches  with  slate  and  lead.”  For  two  hundred  years 
after  his  death  his  book  was  lost.  In  the  fifteenth  century 
it  once  more  came  to  light,  and,  as  printing  was  then 
invented,  copies  of  it  were  soon  in  circulation,  and 
among  the  people  into  whose  hands  it  fell  was  Chris- 
topher Columbus.  The  Cape  of  Good  Hope  was  still 
undiscovered.  The  only  way  to  the  Far  East  and  all  its 
riches,  of  which  Marco  Polo  brought  back  very  material 
evidence  to  support  his  glowing  descriptions,  was  by  the 
long,  toilsome  and  dangerous  overland  route,  and  it  was 
to  discover  a new  way  both  to  Cathay  and  Zipangu  that 
T 2 275 


276 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Columbus  set  out  on  his  historic  voyage,  and  when  he 
first  landed  at  San  Salvador  he  thought  that  it  was  one  of 
the  outlying  islands  of  the  Zipangu  group,  little  though 
the  condition  of  the  natives  harmonized  with  that  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Zipangu  as  depicted  by  Marco  Polo. 

The  discovery  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  by  Vasco 
da  Gama  in  1497  opened  up  a new  field  of  adventure  to 
the  Portuguese,  who,  in  the  reign  of  Emanuel  the  For- 
tunate ( 1 495—152 1 ),  were  both  the  greatest  ship-owners 
and  the  boldest  and  most  adventurous  seamen  in  Europe, 
who  explored  and  sailed  through  all  the  Eastern  Seas, 
seeking  and  finding  wealth  and  preaching  their  religion, 
two  objects  which  were  closely  associated  in  their  aspira- 
tions. In  1510  the  great  Albuquerque  founded  the 
colony  of  Goa,  and  in  1521  Andrada  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing Peking,  and  a prosperous  trade  was  soon  instituted 
between  Goa  and  China,  for  the  better  convenience  of 
which  a factory  was  afterwards  founded  at  Macao  in 
1557.  The  spread  of  religion  kept  pace  with  the  pro- 
gress of  trade.  A great  university  was  founded  at  Goa, 
and  missionaries  made  their  way  into  and  worked  in 
China.  The  commercial  and  missionary  success  which 
rewarded  the  Portuguese  in  China  at  first  gave  them  no 
inducement  to  venture  across  the  stormy  seas  and  risk 
their  ships  on  the  unknown,  rock-bound  coasts  of  Japan, 
and  all  the  knowledge  which  Europe  possessed  of  Japan 
was  still  only  what  could  be  learned  from  the  writings  of 
Marco  Polo.  But  in  1542  three  Portuguese  adventurers, 
while  on  a voyage  from  Siam  to  China  on  board  a 
Chinese  junk,  were  driven  out  of  their  course  by  a storm, 
and  found  themselves  at  Tanegashima,  an  island  at  the 
entrance  of  the  Gulf  of  Kagoshima.  Among  the  other 
passengers  on  the  junk  was  a Chinese  literate,  through 
whom  the  Portuguese  could  communicate  with  the 
natives  in  writing.  Their  interpreter  was  not  very  com- 
plimentary. He  described  the  Portuguese  to  the  natives 


EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE  277 


as  “being  ignorant  of  etiquette  and  writing,  of  the  use 
of  wine  cups  and  chop-sticks,  and  as  being  little  better 
than  beasts  of  the  field.”  Such  as  they  were,  they 
seemed  to  have  impressed  the  natives  not  unfavourably ; 
they  were  well  treated,  and  on  leaving  they  presented 
the  local  governor,  as  a return  for  his  kindness,  with 
some  firearms  and  gunpowder,  hitherto  unknown  in 
Japan,  and  taught  him  their  use.  A few  years  later, 
probably  in  1545,  Mendez  Pinto,  a celebrated  mercantile 
adventurer,  who  acquired  an  immense  fortune  by  trade, 
no  doubt  accompanied  by  piracy,  in  the  Far  East,  a 
fortune  which  in  his  old  age  he  devoted  to  the  Church, 
followed  his  countrymen  and  also  visited  Tanegashima 
in  a Chinese  junk,  and  while  there  he  received  an  invita- 
tion from  the  Prince  of  Bungo  to  visit  him  at  the  capital 
of  his  fief.  The  result  of  his  visit  was  the  beginning  of 
regular  trade  between  the  Portuguese  colonies  and 
Japan,  and  from  that  time  onwards  Portuguese  mer- 
chantmen frequently  visited  the  various  ports  of  Kiushiu, 
Funai,  Kuchinotsu,  Shimabara  and  the  Island  of 
Hirado,  bringing  with  them  merchandise  to  barter  with 
the  Japanese  and  Jesuit  priests  to  convert  them.  None 
of  these  ports  were  very  suitable  for  large  ships — even 
the  ships  of  those  days — and  having  discovered  the 
great  advantages  of  Nagasaki  as  a safe  harbour,  the 
Portuguese  applied  in  1570  to  the  Prince  of  Omura,  in 
whose  territory  it  then  lay,  for  permission  to  trade  there. 
The  permission  was  very  readily  granted,  as  local 
princes  were  only  too  anxious  to  bring  to  their  fiefs  a 
share  of  the  great  profits  of  foreign  trade.  Nagasaki 
then  became  the  chief  seat  both  of  foreign  trade  and 
missionary  enterprise  in  Japan.  A Portuguese  factory 
and  a church,  with  all  the  usual  accompaniments  of 
monasteries,  schools,  alms-houses,  hospitals,  etc.,  were 
established,  and  the  town  grew  rapidly,  both  in  wealth 
and  in  the  number  of  its  inhabitants  who  were  professed 


278 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Christians.  The  priests  seem  to  have  obtained  some 
form  of  exterritoriality  or  even  more — not  only  the 
right  to  govern  themselves,  but  also  to  exercise  jurisdic- 
tion over  the  natives  in  Nagasaki — by  threatening  to 
withdraw  to  another  part  of  Kiushiu  unless  their  demands 
were  granted.  The  Prince  of  Omura  at  first  refused, 
but  finally,  dreading  the  loss  of  the  great  profits  of  the 
trade,  assented,  and  the  result  was  that  Nagasaki,  in 
1 573»  became  the  territory  of  the  Christian  sect. 

Whatever  may  be  the  correct  explanation  of  this  con- 
cession, there  is  no  doubt  that  the  advent  of  Europeans, 
both  traders  and  Churchmen,  in  the  sixteenth  century 
laid  the  foundations  of  Nagasaki’s  greatness  as  a city, 
just  as  it  did  in  regard  to  Yokohama  and  Kobe  in  the 
nineteenth  century. 

“When  the  Fathers  first  set  up  there  to  assist  the  inhabit- 
ants and  Portuguese  there  were  not  full  five  hundred  souls 
in  the  whole  town ; but  by  continual  trade  and  commerce 
the  place  grew  so  opulent  and  rich,  that  in  the  year  90  they 
reckoned  above  five  thousand  families  residents  of  the  place, 
besides  merchants  and  tradesmen,  who  came  thither  in  June 
from  all  parts  at  the  arrival  of  the  fleets.” 

Throughout  all  the  years  between  1573  and  1590,  the 
whole  of  central  Japan  had  been  torn  with  civil  war,  and 
Nagasaki,  lying  at  the  extreme  end  of  a peninsula,  was 
far  out  of  the  line  of  Hideyoshi’s  march  through  Kiushiu 
in  his  triumphant  campaign  against  Satsuma.  When 
that  campaign  was  over  he  was,  as  has  already  been  told, 
firmly  established  as  dictator,  not  only  over  the  main 
island,  which  was  all  that  the  most  powerful  of  his 
predecessors  could  substantially  claim,  but  over  all 
Japan,  and  hearing  of  the  prosperity  of  Nagasaki,  he 
soon  gave  it  his  attention,  and  sent  five  commissioners 
to  inquire  into  and  report  on  its  condition.  The  result 
was  that  Omura  was  ousted  from  his  lordship,  and  in 
1592  Nagasaki  was  incorporated  in  the  Shogun’s  own 


EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE  279 


domains,  not  personally,  but  as  the  head  of  the  Execu- 
tive, and  thenceforward  it  remained,  both  for  the  rest 
of  Hideyoshi’s  life  and  throughout  the  long  regime  of 
the  Tokugawa  Shoguns,  an  appanage  of  the  central 
government,  distinct  frpm  and  independent  of  the  feudal 
principalities  around  it.  The  disappropriation  of  the 
Prince  of  Omura  was  unfortunate  for  the  Church.  He 
and  all  his  people  were  Christians.  So  great  had  been 
the  success  of  the  Jesuits  “that  there  was  hardly  a person 
in  Nagasaki  who  was  not  a Christian,”  and  while  the 
Jesuits  had  splendid  churches,  in  which  they  openly 
performed  Mass,  and  celebrated  their  great  saints’  days 
by  the  gorgeous  processions  through  the  public  streets 
which  are  so  prominent  a feature  in  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  all  the  old  Buddhist  temples  were  destroyed, 
and  their  priests  driven  as  fugitives  to  other  districts. 
Now  the  tables  were  turned.  The  Buddhists  were 
restored,  and  the  Jesuits  obliged  to  hide  their  heads  and 
work  in  secret.  Trade  was,  however,  not  affected. 
Portugal’s  “sixty  years  of  captivity  (1580-1640),”  when 
both  Spain  and  Portugal  were  united  under  one  crown, 
had  in  the  meantime  begun,  and  the  Spanish  galleons 
from  the  Philippines  now  shared  with  Portuguese  from 
Macao  in  the  trade  with  Japan,  and  both  exploited  it  in 
more  or  less  friendly  rivalry. 

They  continued  to  enjoy  all  the  great  profits  of  their 
monopoly,  not  only  of  trade  with  Japan  and  China,  but 
with  all  the  East,  till  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  century. 
So  great  were  these  profits  that  they  provided  the  whole 
of  the  crown  revenue  of  Portugal,  and  there  was  no  need 
for  taxation.  The  goods  which  they  brought  from  the 
East  were  carried  to  Lisbon,  and  there  distributed  by 
ships  to  other  nationalities  through  Europe,  but  in  1595 
Philip  II,  King  of  both  Spain  and  Portugal,  laid  an 
embargo  on  the  Dutch  ships,  and  the  Dutch,  who  were 
then  second  only  to  Spain  and  Portugal  as  ship-owners, 


280 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


were  deprived  of  their  profits  in  the  carrying  trade  of 
Europe,  as  far  as  Eastern  merchandise  was  concerned. 
They  soon  took  their  revenge  for  this  short-sighted 
piece  of  malignity  on  the  part  of  the  Spanish  Sovereign. 
Unfortunately  for  themselves,  the  Portuguese  had  for 
some  years  in  their  service  a Dutch  pilot  named  Cor- 
nelius Houtman,  who  acquired  a thorough  knowledge 
of  the  Eastern  trade  and  seas.  His  great  experience 
was  now  at  the  disposal  of  his  own  countrymen,  and  in 
1595  he  led  a Dutch  fleet  to  the  Indies,  which  got  as  far 
as  Batavia.  From  Batavia  it  is  not  a long  cry  to  China 
and  Japan ; and  on  the  coasts  of  both  Empires  Dutch 
traders  were  soon  found  competing  with  the  Spaniards 
and  Portuguese,  while  Dutch  privateers  were  harrying 
and  capturing  their  ships  in  all  the  seas  between  the  Cape 
and  Goa  on  the  one  side  and  China  and  Japan  on  the 
other. 

In  1609  the  Dutch  established  a factory  at  Hirado,  and 
from  this  time  they  made  it  their  main  object  to  supplant 
the  Portuguese  and  Spaniards,  and  to  acquire  for  them- 
selves the  profitable  monopoly  the  former  had  so  long 
enjoyed.  It  was  a sufficiently  legitimate  enterprise  to 
undertake,  justifiable  not  only  in  fair  commercial  rivalry, 
but  still  more  so  from  the  fact  that  the  Spaniards  and 
Dutch  were  hereditary  enemies,  and  were,  at  the  incep- 
tion of  Dutch  trade  in  Japan,  actually  at  war,  and  Spain 
and  Portugal  were,  as  before  stated,  united  under  one 
crown.  But  it  is  impossible  at  the  present  date  to  justify 
methods  which  the  Dutch  did  not  disdain  to  adopt  to 
gain  their  own  ends.  One  incident  may  be  mentioned, 
of  which  there  are  conflicting  accounts,  but  we  will  here 
take  that  which  is  given  by  Kaempfer,  who  must  be 
presumed  to  have  heard  the  facts  from  his  own  Dutch 
employers  or  to  have  read  them  as  they  were  recorded 
in  the  archives  of  the  factory  at  Nagasaki.  The  Dutch 
captured  a homeward-bound  Portuguese  ship  off  the 


EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE  281 


Cape  of  Good  Hope,  on  board  which  they  found  some 
traitorous  letters,  written  by  a Japanese  who  was  a great 
zealot  for  the  Christian  religion,  to  the  King  of  Portugal. 
The  Dutch  took  special  care  of  the  letters,  and  handed 
them  without  delay  to  the  Japanese  authorities.  The 
writer  was  arrested,  and  though  he  and  all  the  Portu- 
guese at  Nagasaki  firmly  denied  all  knowledge  of  the 
letters,  “hand  and  seal  convicted  them,”  and  the  writer 
was  sentenced  to  be  burned  alive,  a sentence  which  was 
duly  carried  out. 

“The  letters  disclosed  a plot  which  the  Japanese  Christians 
had  formed,  in  conjunction  with  the  Portuguese,  against  the 
life  of  the  Shogun,  and  to  bring  Japan  into  subjection  to 
Portugal  (Spain),  the  want  they  stood  in  of  ships  and 
soldiers,  the  names  of  Japanese  princes  concerned  in  the 
conspiracy,  and  lastly  their  hopes  to  receive  the  papal  bless- 
ing. This  discovery  made  by  the  Dutch  was  afterwards 
confirmed  by  another  letter  from  the  same  writer  to  the 
Portuguese  Governor  of  Macow,  which  was  intercepted  and 
brought  to  Japan  by  a Japanese  ship.  Considering  this  and 
the  suspicions  which  the  Court  had  already  then  conceived 
against  the  Portuguese,  it  was  no  difficult  matter 
thoroughly  to  ruin  the  little  credit  and  favour  they  had  as 
yet  been  able  to  preserve,  the  rather  since,  the  Imperial 
order  notwithstanding,  they  did  not  leave  off  privately  to 
bring  over  more  ecclesiastics.” 

Kaempfer  relates  this  incident  with  complete  approval. 
It  need  not  be  argued  here  whether,  as  a question  of 
ethics,  it  would  be  justifiable  on  the  part  of  a people 
desirous  to  bring  ruin  upon  trade  rivals,  against  whom 
they  were  further  inflamed  by  all  the  worst  passions  of 
religious  and  racial  hatred,  to  gain  their  ends  by  means 
which  were  certain  to  involve  the  deaths  under  torture 
of  numbers  of  their  fellow  creatures.  Apart  from  that, 
there  can  be  no  hesitation  in  condemning  the  act  of  the 
Dutch  as  one  of  the  most  cold-blooded  incidents  of 
perfidy  that  the  world  has  seen,  when  it  is  known,  as 


282 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


later  researches  have  disclosed,  that  the  letters  were 
forgeries,  perpetrated  by  the  Dutch  in  Japan,  and,  in 
the  last  case,  contrived  by  them  to  be  hidden  in  the  place 
where  they  were  found,  and  that  the  Dutch  silently  stood 
by  and  saw  many  innocent  Japanese  put  to  painful 
deaths  without  an  effort  to  save  them.  The  discovery 
of  these  letters  had  further  disastrous  consequences. 
They  provoked  the  Japanese  Government  into  new- 
repressive  measures  against  native  Christians,  the 
severity  of  which  drove  them  into  the  revolt  of  Shima- 
bara,  and  that,  as  has  been  told  in  the  last  chapter, 
ended  in  the  massacre  of  forty  thousand  people  and  the 
final  extirpation  of  Christianity  in  Japan. 

The  Dutch,  however,  gained  their  end.  In  1637  a new 
edict  was  issued  by  the  Shogun,  Iyemitsu,  the  grandson 
of  Iyeyasu,  the  consequences  of  which  were  far-reaching 
and  enduring.  Japan,  until  the  opening  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  was  free  to  all  the  world.  Not  only  were 
people  of  all  nationalities,  European  and  Asiatic,  at 
liberty  to  come  at  any  time  to  any  part  of  the  country, 
but  they  were  as  cordially  welcomed  as  the  pioneers  of 
Chinese  civilization  had  been  at  the  dawn  of  history  in 
the  sixth  and  seventh  centuries.  When  in  the  country, 
they  found  that  all  in  Japan  were  free  to  go  and  reside 
where  they  pleased,  they  were  at  liberty  to  practise  their 
own  religions,  and  they  could  not  be  more  eager  for 
trade  with  the  people  than  the  people  were  to  trade  with 
them.  They  found  the  people  thirsting  for  knowledge 
of  Europe  and  all  that  related  to  it,  its  nationalities, 
productions,  sciences  and  history.  The  religion  of 
Europe  was  received  with  toleration  by  the  whole  nation, 
and  with  reverence  by  a large  section.  The  Japanese 
themselves  were  bold  and  enterprising  sailors  and  ex- 
plorers, making  their  way  to  and  their  mark  in  all  the 
great  countries  of  the  East.  All  this  was  changed  by 
one  stroke  of  the  pen.  Foreigners  of  all  races  were 


EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE  283 


forbidden  by  a new  edict  to  come  to  Japan,  and  Japanese 
equally  to  go  abroad.  The  penalty  of  death  was  pre- 
scribed for  all,  whether  Japanese  or  foreigners,  who 
violated  its  terms,  for  all  who  propagated  the  doctrines  of 
Christians  or  bore  their  scandalous  name.  It  especially 
banished  the  whole  race  of  Portuguese,  their  families, 
servants,  and  whatever  belonged  to  them,  and  offered 
large  rewards  for  the  discovery  of  priests.  It  prescribed 
the  penalty  of  death  even  for  one  who  brought  a letter 
from  abroad,  or  presumed  to  intercede  on  behalf  of  those 
who  were  condemned  under  its  other  provisions.  Japan 
now  became  the  hermit  nation  which  she  was  destined  to 
remain  for  two  hundred  and  seventeen  years,  until,  in 
1854,  Commodore  Perry  and  his  powerful  fleet  of 
American  warships  once  more  opened  her  doors. 

It  required  two  years  to  enable  all  the  Portuguese 
residents  to  be  finally  deported,  and  the  last  of  them 
did  not  leave  till  the  close  of  1639.  “They  had  amused 
themselves  ” in  these  years  with  hopes  that  they  might  be 
able  to  obtain  leave  to  remain  and  continue  their  trade, 
“which  they  were  as  unwilling  to  lose  as  their  lives,” 
but  the  Shogun  was  adamant.  In  the  next  year  an 
embassy  was  sent  from  Macao,  fortified  with  full  creden- 
tials, bringing  with  them  neither  priests  nor  merchan- 
dise, as  honestly  as  it  was  apparently  a purely  diplomatic 
mission.  It  consisted  of  four  Portuguese  of  rank  and 
experience : Lewis  Paez  Pacheo,  Commander  of  the 
Army  of  Portugal ; Rodericus  Sanchez  de  Paredos ; 
Gonsalez  Monteiro  de  Cavallo;  and  Simon  Vaz  de  Pavia, 
“all  wise,  virtuous  and  prudent  men.”  They  were 
accompanied  by  a retinue  of  seventy  persons.  On  their 
arrival  in  Nagasaki  they  were  immediately  arrested,  their 
ship  seized,  and  though  they  protested  that  they  were 
neither  merchants  nor  priests,  but  ambassadors  who  had 
come  to  conclude  a treaty  with  Japan,  and  were,  there- 
fore, under  the  law  of  nations  entitled  to  safe  conduct, 


284 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


all  were  condemned  for  violating  the  edict  of  the  Shogun. 
They  were  forced  to  walk  above  a league,  with  their 
hands  tied  behind  their  backs,  to  the  “Mountain  of 
Martyrs,”  and  were  there  beheaded  on  the  spot  which  had 
already  been  the  scene  of  so  much  bloodshed  and  agony. 
Thirteen  of  the  members  of  the  retinue  of  the  lowest 
rank  were  spared  to  carry  back  to  Macao  the  news  of 
what  had  happened.  Before  they  sailed  they  were 
brought  to  see  the  graves  of  their  countrymen,  over 
which  a notice  had  been  erected — 

“For  the  future,  let  none,  so  long  as  the  Sun 
illuminates  the  world,  presume  to  sail  to  Japan,  not  even 
in  the  quality  of  ambassadors,  and  this  declaration  is 
never  to  be  revoked  on  pain  of  death.” 

Guard-houses  were  established  on  the  summits  of  the 
high  hills  around  Nagasaki,  where  materials  for  bon- 
fires were  always  kept  ready  at  hand.  On  every  hill- 
top, the  whole  way  to  Yedo,  fully  six  hundred  miles  as 
the  crow  flies,  similar  fire  stations  were  established. 
Orders  were  given  that  whenever  a fleet  of  not  less  than 
ten  European  ships  should  be  seen  approaching  the 
harbour,  the  fires  should  be  lighted  at  once  and  con- 
tinued from  hill  to  hill,  so  that  the  news  could  be  known 
at  the  capital  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours,1  and  every 
feudal  prince  throughout  the  Empire  knew  the  precise 
post  which  he  was  to  take  with  his  men  to  defend  his 
country.  Everything  was  so  organized  in  advance  that 
all  the  coast  defences  would  have  been  fully  manned 
within  a few  hours  after  the  mountain  fires  had  signalled 
their  warning. 

Although  the  natural  harbour  advantages  of  Nagasaki 
induced  the  Portuguese  to  fix  their  chief  establishment 

1 To  the  present  day,  when  there  are  telegraphs  all  over  the  country, 
the  Japanese  still  send  messages  by  flag  signals  from  hill-top  to  hill- 
top, and  they  say  that  a message  can  be  communicated  by  flag  signals 
from  Osaka  to  Himeji,  two  great  rice  markets,  about  forty  miles  apart, 
more  quickly  than  it  can  by  telegraph. 


EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE  285 


in  the  town,  their  ships  were  free  to  enter  and  themselves 
to  reside  in  any  part  of  Kiushiu  until  1635.  They  required 
the  consent  of  the  local  feudal  prince  in  whose  fief  the 
port  lay,  but  so  far  from  that  being  any  difficulty,  all 
the  princes  were  vying  with  each  other  as  to  which 
could  offer  the  foreigners  the  greatest  inducements  to 
make  use  of  his  own  port.  In  this  year  a change  was 
made,  and  as  a measure  to  prevent  the  smuggling  of 
priests,  all  the  Portuguese  traders  were  restricted  to  the 
artificial  island  of  Desima  in  Nagasaki  harbour.  The 
Dutch,  on  the  other  hand,  who  imported  no  priests,  were 
permitted  to  continue  their  original  factory  at  Hirado, 
which  they  had  by  this  time  established  on  a scale  of 
great  size  and  magnificence,  so  as  to  be  worthy  of  the 
prosperous  trade  they  hoped  for.  “No  measure  was 
neglected,  no  trouble  or  expense  spared  by  them  that 
could  please  or  conciliate  the  Japanese  authorities,  from 
the  Shogun  at  the  Court  down  to  the  pettiest  local 
official.  The  most  exquisite  curiosities  of  nature  and 
art  were  brought  over  for  the  annual  presents.  The 
hardest  and  most  unreasonable  commands  were  blindly 
and  impassively  obeyed.”  Honour  was  sacrificed  and 
Christianity  outraged  in  the  ignoble  and  cruel  part  that 
was  played  at  Shimabara,  and  the  reward  was  permission 
to  reside  and  trade  in  Japan,  when  all  the  rest  of  the 
world  was  excluded.  But  the  Japanese,  with  their  high 
ideals  of  honour  and  patriotism,  with  the  utter  scorn  for 
money  for  money’s  sake  which  is  one  of  the  cardinal 
points  of  the  Samurai  faith,  formed  their  own  estimate 
of  the  people  who,  for  the  sake  of  commercial  privileges, 
were  willing  to  soil  their  hands  with  the  blood  of  those 
of  their  own  faith. 

“ Many  generous  and  noble  persons  at  the  Court  and  in 
the  Empire  judged  quite  otherwise  of  our  conduct,  and  not 
too  favourably  for  the  credit  we  had  thereby  endeavoured  to 
gain.  It  seemed  to  them  inconsistent  with  reason  that  the 


286 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Dutch  should  ever  be  expected  to  be  sincerely  faithful  to  a 
foreign  monarch,  and  one,  too,  whom  they  looked  upon  as  a 
heathen  prince,  whilst  they  showed  so  much  forwardness  to 
assist  him  in  the  destruction  of  a people  with  whom  they  had 
otherwise  agreed  in  the  most  essential  parts  of  their  faith. 
In  short,  our  humble,  obliging  conduct  notwithstanding,  we 
were  so  far  from  bringing  this  proud  and  jealous  nation  to 
any  greater  confidence  or  more  intimate  friendship,  that  on 
the  contrary  their  jealousy  and  mistrust  seemed  to  increase 
in  proportion  to  the  many  proofs  of  faithfulness  and  sincerity 
we  gave  them,  and  that  the  better  we  deserved  of  them 
the  more  they  seemed  to  hate  and  despise  us.” 

The  Dutch  were  allowed  to  continue  their  trade,  but 
they  were  ordered,  at  a moment’s  notice,  to  level  their 
grand  factory  at  Hirado  to  the  ground,  and  to  move  with 
all  their  belongings  to  the  vacated  Portuguese  settlement 
at  Desima,  and  there  to  suffer  perpetual  imprisonment, 
under  conditions  so  degrading  as  to  be  scarcely  credible 
when  one  remembers  that  they  were  imposed  on  citizens 
of  one  of  the  most  independent  nations  of  Europe.  The 
history  of  the  Jews  at  their  worst  period  in  the  Middle 
Ages  shows  no  more  striking  incidents  of  abject  servitude 
than  that  of  the  Dutch  traders  in  Japan.  Ten  years  ago 
Desima  still  existed  as  it  was  two  hundred  years  before, 
and  some  of  the  old  Dutch  residences  wrere  still  stand- 
ing. Its  length  is  six  hundred,  its  breadth  two  hundred 
and  forty  feet,  and  its  shape  resembles  a fan  without  a 
handle.  It  lies  in  the  upper  end  of  Nagasaki  harbour, 
the  widest  point  directly  facing  the  harbour  entrance. 
On  this  little  spot  the  Dutch  were  rigidly  interned  as 
close  prisoners  from  year’s  end  to  year’s  end.  The 
whole  island  was  enclosed  with  high  deal  boards, 
covered  with  a projecting  roof,  so  that  none  within  the 
island  could  see  anything  outside  other  than  the  high 
slopes  and  summits  of  the  surrounding  hills,  on  which 
the  Dutch  were  permitted  to  gaze  but  never  to  set  foot. 
A few  paces  off  the  island  thirteen  very  high  posts  were 


EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE  287 


erected  in  the  sea  at  regular  intervals,  with  notices  in 
large  writing  forbidding,  under  severe  penalty,  all  boats 
to  come  within  the  rails,  or  even  to  approach  them  on 
the  sea.  The  island  is  connected  with  the  town  by  a 
stone  bridge,  where  there  was  a guard-house  with  sen- 
tries always  on  watch.  No  unlicensed  Japanese  was 
permitted  to  enter,  no  Dutchman  to  go  out,  except  on 
rare  and  special  occasions,  and  then  permission  had  to 
be  obtained  with  many  formalities,  and  each  individual 
Dutchman  had  to  be  accompanied  by  and  defray  the 
expenses  of  an  escort  of  not  less  than  thirty  persons. 
“They  were  perpetually  guarded  and  narrowly  watched 
as  if  they  were  the  greatest  malefactors  on  earth,  spies 
or  traitors,  in  a word,  the  worst  and  most  dangerous  set 
of  people.”  Once  every  year  the  head  of  the  factory 
and  some  of  his  staff  were  required  to  make  the  long 
journey  to  Yedo  to  have  an  audience  with  the  Shogun. 
Throughout  the  whole  journey,  a journey  which  can 
now  be  made  in  two  days,  but  then  occupied  two  months, 
they  were  kept  in  the  same  rigid  seclusion  as  they  were 
in  their  island,  lodged  at  night  only  in  the  back  rooms 
of  inns,  forbidden  to  communicate  with  the  people,  even 
with  the  domestics  of  the  inn,  male  or  female,  except  in 
the  seclusion  of  their  own  rooms,  through  the  bribed 
connivance  of  their  guards;  in  the  daytime,  while  on 
their  way,  they  were  carried  in  veiled  palanquins,  and 
prevented,  as  far  as  possible,  from  seeing  the  country 
through  which  they  passed. 

Their  imprisonment  was  the  smallest  part  of  the 
degrading  humiliation  to  which  they  had  to  submit. 
They  were  forbidden  to  display  any  of  the  symbols  of 
Christianity  or  to  celebrate  divine  service,  and  the  present 
writer,  when  in  Nagasaki,  was  more  than  once  told  by 
native  scholars  that  they  had  also  to  undergo  the  ordeal 
of  trampling  on  the  cross.  He  was,  however,  never  able 
to  find  any  confirmation  of  this  story.  Their  annual 


288  THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 

audience  with  the  Shogun  in  the  capital,  the  chief  object 
of  which  was  to  lay  before  him  the  presents  sent  by  the 
Company,  lasted  for  a little  over  two  hours.  They  entered 
the  presence  crawling  on  their  hands  and  knees,  and  bent 
their  foreheads  humbly  to  the  ground,  and  then  they 
were  called  upon  to  make  a display  of  the  manners  and 
customs  of  the  Europeans  for  the  amusement  of  the 
Court.  In  the  presence  of  the  Shogun  and  his  ladies, 
who  were  behind  a screen  through  which  they  could  see 
without  themselves  being  seen,  and  of  the  Court,  the 
grave  and  serious  Dutchmen,  the  representatives  of  one 
of  the  greatest  commercial  companies  in  the  world,  men 
of  high  reputation  and  standing  in  their  own  country, 
were  called  upon — the  description  is  Kaempfer’s — 

“to  sit  upright,  to  take  off  our  cloaks,  to  tell  him  our 
names  and  age,  to  stand  up,  to  walk,  to  turn  about,  to  dance, 
to  sing  songs,  to  compliment  one  another,  to  be  angry,  to 
invite  one  another  to  dinner,  to  converse,  to  discourse  in  a 
familiar  way  like  father  and  son,  to  show  how  two  friends  or 
man  and  wife  compliment  or  take  leave  of  one  another,  to 
play  with  children,  to  carry  them  about  upon  our  arms,  and 
to  do  many  more  things  of  like  nature.  Then  again  we  were 
commanded  to  read  and  to  dance,  separately  and  jointly. 
We  were  then  further  commanded  to  put  on  our  hats,  to 
walk  about  the  room  discoursing  with  one  another,  to  take 
off  our  perukes.  Then  I was  desired  once  more  to  come 
nearer  the  screen,  and  to  take  off  my  peruke.  Then  they 
made  us  jump,  dance,  play  gambols,  and  walk  together.  Then 
they  made  us  kiss  one  another,  like  man  and  wife,  which  the 
ladies  particularly  showed  by  their  laughter  to  be  well  pleased 
with.  They  desired  us  further  to  show  them  what  sorts  of 
compliments  it  was  customary  in  Europe  to  make  to  inferiors, 
to  ladies,  to  superiors,  to  princes,  to  kings.  After  this  they 
begged  another  song  of  me.” 

It  was,  however,  only  in  those  parts  of  the  country, 
Nagasaki  and  Yedo,  where  their  record  was  best  known 
and  remembered,  that  the  Dutch  were  subjected  to  these 
galling  buffooneries,  and  the  innate  courtesy  and 


EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE  289 


hospitality  of  the  Japanese  were  amply  displayed  during 
their  journeys  to  and  from  the  capital.  They  were,  as 
before  stated,  rigidly  guarded,  and  prevented  from  hold- 
ing any  communication  with  the  natives  on  the  route, 
but  some  of  the  compliments  that  were  obligatory  on 
the  passage  of  the  trains  of  the  Japanese  feudal  princes 
were  shown  to  the  Dutch  by  the  local  authorities  of  the 
districts  through  which  their  journey  lay.  The  roads 
were  swept,  and  all  foul  objects  removed  in  advance  of 
their  coming,  and  as  they  passed  crow'ding  of  the  people 
was  restrained.  Though  they  had  to  pay  handsomely 
for  the  privilege,  they  were  lodged  in  the  very  best  inns, 
and  one  strange  exception  wras  made  to  the  iron  restric- 
tions imposed  upon  their  sight-seeing.  In  Kioto,  the 
sacred  capital,  the  town  of  the  mysterious  Ecclesiastical 
Emperor,  the  very  holy  of  holies  among  the  Japanese 
cities,  the  Dutch,  though  they  seem  to  have  thought  so 
little  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Emperor,  at  the  very  doors  of 
whose  palace  they  were,  that  they  never  asked  one  single 
question  about  him,  were  escorted  to  all  the  great  and 
historic  temples,  and  the  greatest  trouble  was  taken  to 
show  them  all  the  treasures  in  each.  It  is  evident  that 
the  presence  of  foreigners  was  not  then  looked  upon  as 
a pollution  in  the  Land  of  the  Gods,  and  that  all  the 
humiliation  which  the  Dutch  suffered  was  due  only  to 
the  contempt  engendered  by  their  own  degraded  conduct. 

In  the  early  period  of  their  trade,  six  or  seven  Dutch 
ships  arrived  annually,  but  their  number  wras  later 
reduced  to  two.  When  the  ships,  after  their  long 
voyage,  dropped  anchor  in  the  harbour,  they  were  at 
once  surrounded  by  guard-boats;  all  arms  of  every  kind 
were  taken,  and  retained  so  long  as  the  ship  remained 
in  harbour,  even  the  heavy  guns  and  the  rudder  of  the 
ship  being  removed ; a list  was  made  of  every  man  on 
board ; and  although  the  ship  was  only  three  hundred 
yards  from  the  island,  no  one  was  allowed  to  land  or 
u 


290 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


embark  without  passes,  not  even  the  sailors  of  the  ship 
to  take  what  exercise  was  possible  for  them  within  the 
confines  of  the  little  island  after  their  long  confinement 
on  board.  Before  the  ship  arrived  in  the  port,  all 
papers,  books,  Bibles,  anything,  even  coins,  which  bore 
the  semblance  of  a cross  or  any  words  that  remotely 
indicated  Christianity,  were  packed  away  and  hidden  in 
the  lowest  depths  of  the  hold.  Such  were  the  conditions 
under  which  European  trade  was  conducted  from  1641  to 
1858,  when,  under  the  new  treaties,  Japan  was,  after  her 
long  seclusion,  opened  to  the  trade  of  all  the  world. 

If  the  conditions  of  trade  were  humiliating,  its  profits 
were  great.  In  1641  eighty  tons  of  gold  and  fourteen 
hundred  chests  of  silver  were  exported  in  payment  for 
the  goods  sold  to  the  Japanese;  but  as  more  and  more 
onerous  restrictions  gradually  fettered  the  interchange 
of  merchandise,  the  staff  of  the  factory,  which  at  first 
consisted  of  over  twenty  persons,  was  reduced  to  seven 
or  eight,  and  the  volume  of  trade  dwindled  until,  in 
1665,  only  ten  tons  of  gold  and  three  hundred  chests  of 
silver  were  received.  The  aggregate  profits  continued, 
however,  to  the  close  to  be  at  the  rate  of  from  eighty  to 
ninety  per  cent.,  while  the  gains  from  the  private  trade, 
which  the  individual  members  of  the  factory  were  per- 
mitted to  carry  on,  were  so  great  that  only  three  years’ 
service  was  required  to  enable  the  head  to  retire  with 
an  ample  competency. 

While  the  whole  record  of  the  Dutch  at  Desima  is  one 
of  sordid  degradation,  which,  at  the  present  day,  can 
only  bring  a blush  to  the  cheeks  of  every  European  who 
reads  it,  it  was  relieved  by  one  romantic  incident.  In 
the  Napoleonic  wars  Holland  was  blotted  out  of  the  map 
of  Europe,  and  in  1811  Batavia,  the  head-quarters  of  the 
Dutch  Company  in  the  East,  was  captured  by  the 
English.  In  the  political  confusion,  the  little  settlement 
of  Desima  was  entirely  forgotten  and  shut  off  from  all 


EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE  291 


communication  with  the  outward  world,  till  the  Treaty 
of  Paris  re-established  Holland  as  a nation  and  restored 
to  it  its  colony  in  Java.  During  the  four  years  that 
passed  in  the  interim  the  Dutch  flag  was  daily  hoisted 
in  Desima,  and  it  was  the  only  place  in  all  the  world  in 
which  it  was  kept  flying. 

When  the  Dutch,  Portuguese  and  Spaniards  were  all 
at  their  highest  rivalry,  the  English  also  made  attempts 
to  gain  a foothold  in  Japan,  and  for  a brief  period  also 
maintained  a factory  at  Hirado.  The  first  Englishman 
who,  so  far  as  is  known,  ever  landed  in  Japan  was  Will 
Adams.  According  to  his  own  account  of  himself,  he 
was  a “Kentish  man  born  in  a town  called  Gillingham, 
two  English  miles  from  Rochester,  one  mile  from 
Chatham,  where  the  King’s  ships  doe  lie,”  who  from  the 
age  of  twelve  years  was  brought  up  at  Limehouse, 
“being  apprenticed  twelve  years  to  Master  Nicholas 
Diggins.”  Adams  served  as  master  and  pilot  in  her 
Majesty’s  ships  for  eleven  or  twelve  years,  and  with 
“the  Worshipful  Company  of  the  Barbary  merchants, 
until  the  Indish  traffic  from  Holland,  in  which  Indish 
traffic  he  was  desirous  to  make  a little  experience  of  the 
little  knowledge  God  had  given  him.”  In  July  1598  he 
set  sail  from  the  Texel  as  pilot-master  of  a fleet  of  five 
Dutch  ships,  “which  was  made  ready  by  the  Indish 
Company  to  trade  with  Spanish  America,  he  himself 
being  in  the  flagship  De  Leeuw.” 

In  April  1599  they  arrived  at  the  Straits  of  Magellan, 
where  they  remained  six  months;  and  then,  when  the 
winter  was  over,  they  again  set  sail,  this  time  being 
minded  to  reach  Japan,  where  “Dick  Gerrilson,  one  of 
the  crew  who  had  been  there  with  the  Portugals,”  told 
them  there  was  a great  market  for  woollen  cloth.  Six 
months  later,  on  the  19th  of  April,  1600,  De  Leeuw,  the 
one  surviving  ship  of  the  fleet,  arrived  at  Bungo  with 
only  twenty-three  men  of  all  her  crew  left,  and  only  five 
u 2 


292 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


of  them  were  able  to  carry  on  their  work,  so  terrible  had 
the  ravages  of  scurvy  been  on  their  voyage.  They  were 
landed  and  kindly  treated,  and  their  arrival  reported  to 
the  Shogun,  Iyeyasu,  who  soon  summoned  them  before 
him.  Adams  tells  his  experience  in  one  of  his  own 
letters — 

“I  was  carried  in  one  of  the  King’s  gallies  to  the  Court 
at  Osaka,  where  the  King  lay,  about  eighty  leagues  from 
the  place  where  the  ship  was.  The  12th  of  May,  1600,  I 
came  to  the  King’s  city,  who  caused  me  to  be  brought  into 
the  Court,  being  a wonderfully  costly  house  gilded  with  gold 
in  abundance.  Coming  before  the  King,  he  viewed  me  well, 
and  seemed  to  be  wonderfully  favourable.  He  made  many 
signs  unto  me,  some  of  which  I understood  and  some  I did 
not.  In  the  end  there  came  one  who  could  speak  Portu- 
guese. By  him  the  King  demanded  of  me  what  land  I 
was,  and  what  moved  us  to  come  to  his  land,  being  so  far 
off.  I showed  him  the  name  of  our  country,  and  that  our 
land  had  long  sought  the  East  Indies,  and  desired  friend- 
ship with  all  kings  and  potentates  in  the  way  of  merchandise, 
having  in  our  land  divers  commodities  which  these  lands  had 
not,  and  also  to  buy  such  merchandise  in  this  land  which 
our  country  had  not.  Then  he  asked  whether  our  country 
had  wars.  I answered  him  yes,  with  the  Spaniards  and 
Portuguese,  being  in  peace  with  all  other  nations.  Further, 
he  asked  me  in  what  I did  believe?  I said  in  God  that 
made  heaven  and  earth.  He  asked  me  divers  other  questions 
of  things  of  religion  and  many  other  things,  as  the  way 
we  came  to  the  country.  Having  the  chart  of  the  whole 
world,  I showed  him,  through  the  Straits  of  Magellan.  At 
which  he  wondered  and  thought  me  to  lie.  Thus  from  one 
thing  to  another  I abode  with  him  to  midnight.  And  having 
asked  me  what  merchandise  we  had  in  our  ship,  I showed 
him  all.  In  the  end,  he  being  ready  to  depart,  I desired 
that  we  might  have  trade  of  merchandise  as  the  Portuguese 
and  Spaniards  had.  To  which  he  made  me  an  answer,  but 
what  it  was  I did  not  understand.  So  he  commanded  me 
to  be  carried  to  prison.  But  two  days  after,  he  sent  for  me 
again  and  inquired  of  the  qualities  and  conditions  of  the 
countries,  of  wars  and  peace,  of  beasts  and  cattle  of  all 
sorts,  and  of  the  heavens.  It  seemed  that  he  was  well 
content  with  all  my  answers  to  his  demands.  Nevertheless 
I was  condemned  to  prison  again,  but  my  lodging  was 
bettered  in  another  place.” 


EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE  293 


He  was  fated  never  to  leave  Japan  again.  Iyeyasu 
recognized  his  abilities  and  his  honesty,  and  kept  him 
at  his  own  Court,  employing  him  both  as  a shipbuilder 
and  teacher  of  mathematics  and  astronomy,  and  also  as 
an  intermediary  with  the  Dutch  and  English,  who  were 
now  beginning  to  find  their  way  in  greater  numbers  to 
Japan.  His  captivity  was  rendered  as  easy  as  it  could 
be  made.  A wife  and  an  estate  were  given  to  him,  so 
that  he  might  live  in  comfort,  but  though  Iyeyasu  was 
willing  to  listen  to  all  his  entreaties  to  be  allowed  to 
return  to  his  native  land  and  see  once  more  the  English 
wife  and  children  whom  he  had  left  there,  the  oppor- 
tunity never  presented  itself  in  circumstances  that 
enabled  him  to  take  advantage  of  it,  and  the  old  sailor 
had  to  find  such  consolation  for  his  exile  as  prosperity 
and  good  report  could  give  him  in  his  Japanese  home. 
He  died  on  the  6th  of  May,  1620,  having  lived  almost 
exactly  twenty  years  in  Japan,  and  during  those  twenty 
years  the  only  attempts  that  were  made  by  the  English 
to  enter  into  commercial  relations  with  Old  Japan  began 
and  ended. 

The  East  India  Company  of  England  was  incorporated 
in  1600,  and  following  in  the  trail  of  the  Dutch,  it  sent 
the  good  ship  Clove,  one  of  three  fitted  out  by  the 
Company  for  their  eighth  voyage  to  the  Indies,  to  Japan, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  John  Saris,  with  Mr. 
Richard  Cocks  as  supercargo  or  master  merchant.  The 
Clove  arrived  at  Hirado  on  the  nth  of  June,  1613,  and  a 
factory  was  established  close  to  that  of  the  Dutch,  and 
placed  in  charge  of  Cocks,  who  had  eight  other  English- 
men under  him.  Through  Adams’s  good  offices,  Saris 
obtained  an  interview  with  Iyeyasu,  and  ample  privileges 
were  given  which  might  have  been  extremely  advan- 
tageous to  the  Company,  privileges,  indeed,  which 
afforded  the  most  convincing  testimony  of  the  extreme 
liberality  of  the  Japanese  at  this  period  of  their  history, 
even  though  they  had  already  begun  to  be  suspicious  of 


294 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


the  ultimate  motives  of  their  Christian  visitors.  More, 
far  more  was  granted  to  Saris,  at  the  head  of  his  adven- 
turers in  one  single  ship,  through  the  intermediation  of 
a rough  old  sailor,  than  Perry  with  his  great  squadron 
of  United  States  war-ships,  or  Lord  Elgin,  fresh  from 
his  triumph  in  China,  with  not  only  a fleet,  but  an  army, 
at  his  call,  was  able  to  exact  two  hundred  and  fifty  years 
later.  Not  only  was  exterritoriality  granted— the  right 
of  the  officials  of  the  factory  to  punish  their  own  men 
according  to  their  own  laws  for  offences  committed  on 
Japanese  soil — but  the  very  widest  privileges  of  trade 
were  freely  and  unreservedly  given.  English  ships  were 
permitted  to  carry  on  trade  of  all  kinds  without  hin- 
drance of  any  kind,  and  to  put  into  any  harbour,  either 
for  trade  or  refuge.  The  ports  in  Kiushiu,  far  away 
from  Yedo,  had  hitherto  been  the  only  places  to  which 
the  Dutch  and  Portuguese  had  access.  The  English 
were  specially  invited  by  Iyeyasu  to  settle  in  his  own 
flourishing  and  rapidly  growing  capital.  They  were 
told  that  they  might  erect  houses  and  reside  and  trade 
there,  and  that  they  should  be  at  liberty  to  return  to 
their  country  whenever  they  wished,  and  to  dispose  of 
their  houses  as  they  pleased  when  they  did  so.  No 
wider  commercial  concession  was  ever  granted  by  one 
independent  country  to  another.  It  filled  the  Dutch, 
who  had  already  been  settled  at  Hirado  for  five  years, 
with  envy  at  the  prospect  of  the  unlimited  scope  that 
was  thus  given  to  the  English  of  a trade  of  the  enormous 
profits  of  which  they  had  already  such  full  experience. 
How  were  these  great  privileges  obtained  ? The  English 
were  perfect  strangers  to  Iyeyasu,  except  in  the  person 
of  the  old  seaman  who  had  landed  in  Japan,  broken  with 
sickness  and  in  destitution.  It  was  the  transparent 
honesty  of  that  old  sailor,  his  rough  tact  and  willing 
services,  which  had  so  impressed  the  great  Shogun,  one 
of  whose  marked  qualities  was  that  of  being  a keen  judge 


EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE  295 


of  men,  that  he  was  more  favourably  disposed  to  his 
countrymen  than  he  ever  was  to  the  priest-smuggling 
Portuguese  or  the  avaricious  and  unscrupulous  Dutch. 
With  all  these  promises,  the  English  adventure  proved 
an  utter  failure.  Despite  the  coveted  privileges  which 
had  been  given  them,  despite  all  Adams’s  persistent 
remonstrances,  despite  the  fact  that  he  had  prepared 
charts  of  the  Eastern  coast,  and  had  pointed  out  that 
it  was  infinitely  less  dangerous  to  navigation  than  the 
rocky  and  island-studded  shores  of  Kiushiu,  Saris,  in 
a fatuity  of  obstinacy  and  ignorance,  insisted  on  estab- 
lishing his  factory  at  Hirado  at  the  very  doors  of  the 
Dutch,  in  a district  already  thoroughly  exploited  by  them, 
which,  even  if  it  had  not  been  so,  was  in  all  its  resources 
and  potentialities  as  far  beneath  Yedo  as  in  any  country 
a remote,  not  over-populated  province  would  be  to  a 
prosperous  and  rapidly  growing  capital.  The  Dutch 
had  already  acquired  much  experience  of  Japanese  taste 
and  requirements,  and  were  able  to  satisfy  their  cus- 
tomers better  than  the  English,  who  were  utterly 
ignorant  of  both,  and  they  were  wise  and  farseeing 
enough  to  be  content  to  suffer  present  loss,  in  the  hope 
of  securing  a monopoly  that  they  saw  would  be  a verit- 
able gold-mine  in  the  future.  They  deliberately  under- 
sold the  English  in  whatever  goods  the  latter  happened 
to  have  that  were  found  attractive  by  the  Japanese.  At 
sea  the  ships  of  the  two  nations  fought  whenever  they 
met,  and  the  Dutch,  larger  and  better  found,  were 
usually  victorious.  On  shore  the  Dutch  and  English 
sailors  were  constantly  fighting,  to  the  disturbance  of 
peace  and  good  order  to  such  an  extent  that  Japanese 
guards  had  to  be  placed  in  the  English  residency  to 
protect  it  from  the  Dutch,  who  were  far  superior  in 
number.  Finally,  the  acme  of  ingratitude  was  reached 
when  Saris  and  Cocks  alienated  the  man  to  whom  they 
owed  everything,  who  had  tried  his  very  utmost  to  serve 


296 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


them,  by  a series  of  petty  squabbles  over  charges  and 
remittances,  which,  however  substantial  they  may  have 
been  in  the  eyes  of  a poor  sailor,  were  utterly  contempt- 
ible from  the  point  of  view  of  the  chief  representatives 
of  a wealthy  company  of  commercial  prospectors  trying 
to  lay  the  foundations  of  a prosperous  trade.  Adams 
perhaps  found  the  Dutch  more  grateful  friends  than  his 
own  countrymen,  and  it  is  possible  that  the  great  influ- 
ence he  possessed  with  Iyeyasu  may  have  been  exercised 
in  favour  of  the  Dutch  traders  after  he  had  quarrelled 
with  his  own  countrymen.  Whatever  the  reason, 
whether  it  was  Adams’s  influence,  or  the  inability  of 
the  English  to  serve  the  wants  and  humour  the  temper 
of  Iyeyasu  as  well  as  the  Portuguese  and  Dutch  had 
done,  the  factory  was  not  a commercial  success,  and  in 
1619  it  was  finally  withdrawn,  after  having  suffered 
aggregate  losses  which  have  been  variously  estimated  at 
from  seven  to  forty  thousand  pounds. 

In  1672,  when  England  was  at  war  with  Holland,  two 
ships,  the  Experiment  and  the  Return,  were  dispatched 
to  the  Far  East  for  the  purpose  of  injuring  the  Dutch 
trade,  especially  to  break  up  the  factory  at  Desima, 
and  to  secure  their  good  reception  by  the  Shogun,  the 
commander  carried  with  him  an  autograph  letter  from 
Charles  II.  The  expedition  was  a failure  both  as  a 
political  and  commercial  venture.  The  Experiment  was 
captured  on  her  way  by  the  Dutch,  and  only  the  Return 
reached  Nagasaki,  where  she  arrived  in  1675.  Her 
experience  there  was  worthy  of  her  name.  The  Japanese 
refused  to  enter  into  any  relations  at  all,  an  attitude 
which  was  confirmed  by  the  Dutch,  if  confirmation  was 
wanting,  who  told  them  the  King  of  England  had 
married  a Portuguese  Princess,  and  was  both  politically 
and  matrimonially  allied  with  countries  where  the  hated 
Catholic  religion  was  part  of  the  national  foundation, 
and  the  Return  was  directed  to  leave  the  harbour. 


EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE  297 


From  that  time  no  further  attempt  was  made  to  share 
in  Japan’s  trade  by  the  English  until  Lord  Elgin  con- 
cluded his  treaty  in  1858.  English  vessels  occasionally 
appeared  off  the  coast.  The  Phaeton,  a celebrated 
frigate,  commanded  by  the  equally  celebrated  Sir 
Edward  Pellew,  suddenly  entered  Nagasaki  in  1808  in 
search  of  Dutch  prizes.  Consternation  spread  through 
the  city,  but,  nothing  daunted  by  her  appearance,  which 
was  “that  of  a strong  castle,”  the  local  governor  made 
preparations  to  seize  or  destroy  her,  “as  the  Spaniards 
had  been  destroyed  ninety  years  before,1  although  with 
the  barges  he  had  at  his  disposal  he  might  as  well  have 
tried  to  batter  down  a stone  wall  with  eggs.”  Fortun- 
ately, before  the  harbour  could  be  blocked  or  the  attack- 
ing fleet  assembled,  the  Phaeton  sailed  away  uninjured 
and  having  done  no  injury  herself.  Her  visit  was,  how- 
ever, not  unattended  by  unhappy  consequences,  as  the 
governor  and  several  officers  committed  hara-kiri  in  their 
shame  at  having  allowed  her  to  escape.  When  she  had 
gone  and  her  sails  had  sunk  below  the  horizon,  the  fleet 
that  had  been  summoned  from  the  neighbouring  ports 
to  destroy  her  entered  the  harbour — 

“The  squadron  of  eighty  ships  approached  the  anchorage 
in  fine  like  a flight  of  wild  geese,  gradually  coifing  them- 
selves up  into  a circular  form  like  a chrysanthemum,  with 
the  Admiral’s  ship  in  the  centre.  Unfolded,  their  array 
would  have  filled  the  whole  harbour  like  a great  sea  serpent. 
The  signal  for  advance  was  a drum ; for  halting,  a gong. 
The  waters  of  the  bay  wrere  stained  with  the  reflections  from 

1 The  destruction  of  a Spanish  three-decked  ship  in  the  harbour  of 
Nagasaki  is  related  by  Kaempfer.  The  date  is  not  given  by  him,  but 
the  archives  of  the  Dutch  factory,  now  preserved  at  the  Hague,  show 
that  it  was  in  1610.  The  Spanish  ship  was  surrounded  and  boarded, 
and  her  crew,  driven  from  deck  to  deck  by  overwhelming  numbers, 
blew  up  each  upper  deck  in  turn  as  they  retreated  to  the  lower.  At 
last  the  ship  sank,  and  all  on  board  perished,  but  they  fought  with 
the  utmost  bravery  to  the  last,  and  more  than  three  thousand  Japanese 
were  killed,  so  that  the  harbour  was  covered  with  Japanese  bodies. 
The  name  of  the  Spanish  ship  was  the  Madre  de  Dios. 


298 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


their  green  and  crimson  screens ; their  flags  waved  to  the 
wind,  and  the  swords  and  spears  glanced  in  the  sunlight. 
The  rows  of  matchlocks  in  sheaths  of  red  cloth,  which  were 
leant  over  each  ship’s  side,  reminded  one  of  the  claws  of  a 
lobster,  while  the  gold  and  silver  ensigns  and  standards 
dazzled  all  beholders.  Every  one  was  full  of  admiration.” 

For  over  two  hundred  years — from  1643,  when  the 
Dutch  were  first  consigned  to  their  prison  at  Desima, 
till  1853,  when  Commodore  Perry  and  his  fleet  entered 
the  Gulf  of  Yedo — the  story  of  foreign  commerce  in 
Japan  may  be  said  to  be  a blank.  During  all  this  time 
Japan  saw  nothing  of  the  outer  world,  and  the  very  little 
she  heard  of  it  filtered  through  the  Dutch  settlement, 
to  reach  her  in  a form  so  purified  that  it  contained  no 
germs  injurious  to  her  own  arrogant  pride.  She  was 
happy  in  her  isolation,  and  in  her  ignorance  of  all  the 
great  events  that  were  stirring  the  world  and  of  the 
scientific  discoveries  that  were  revolutionizing  all  the 
details  of  daily  life.  She  enjoyed  perfect  domestic  peace, 
and  thought  herself  secure  from  foreign  incursions  in 
the  valour  of  her  people  and  in  the  stormy  seas  that  sur- 
rounded her  coasts,  while  all  that  was  necessary  for  the 
comfort  and  luxury  of  her  own  people  was  produced  in 
abundance  within  her  own  borders.  But  while  other 
nations  were  advancing,  Japan  stood  still.  As  she  was 
in  1637,  when  Iyemitsu  closed  the  doors  of  the  country 
against  all  but  a handful  of  degraded  Dutchmen,  so  she 
was  in  1853,  the  same  socially  and  economically,  with 
the  same  appliances  for  both  peace  and  war,  the  same 
communications  both  by  land  and  sea.  The  Dutch,  the 
only  Europeans  she  saw,  were  still  her  subservient 
tools,  still  only  the  hucksters,  whose  sole  thought  was 
that  of  gain,  whose  sole  occupation  was  that  which  was 
in  her  eyes  the  most  degraded  of  all.  Her  estimate 
of  all  Europeans  was  based  on  her  knowledge  of  the 
Dutch,  traitors  to  their  co-religionists,  abject  slaves  to 


EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE  299 


the  Japanese,  and  that  knowledge  convinced  her  that 
her  own  people  were  in  reality  what  their  religion  was 
teaching  them  to  believe,  the  inhabitants  of  a land 
favoured  above  all  lands  by  the  Gods  of  Heaven,  and 
worthy  in  all  their  own  virtues  to  possess  it.  All  this 
belief  had  a rude  awakening. 

The  great  Powers  of  Europe  were  still  too  fully 
occupied  in  international  complications  among  them- 
selves to  give  any  thought  to  an  unknown  island  empire 
so  far  away,  when  the  United  States,  unhampered  by 
external  politics,  resolved  to  take  upon  herself  the  task 
of  drawing  Japan  out  of  her  isolation  and  into  the  comity 
of  the  nations  of  the  world,  by  fair  means  if  possible, 
by  force  if  argument  failed.  The  Government  of  the 
States  had  reasons  to  move  it  which  did  not  apply  to 
the  great  Powers  of  Europe.  The  discovery  of  gold  in 
California  gave  a great  impetus  to  the  prosperity  of  the 
West.  China  was  opened  to  foreign  trade  by  English 
arms,  and  between  China  and  California  a great  trade 
might  well  arise.  Japan  lay  on  the  ocean  highway 
between  the  two  countries,  and  it  was  essential  that  her 
ports  should  be  open  for  refuge  to  vessels  passing 
between  them.  The  whale-fishing  industry  in  the  Pacific 
was  large  and  prosperous.  Some  vessels  engaged  in  it 
had  been  already  wrecked  on  the  coasts  of  Japan,  and 
their  treatment  had  not  been  all  that  could  be  desired; 
others  might  be,  and  it  was  essential  that  security  be 
exacted  that  the  previous  experience  of  the  ship- 
wrecked crews  should  not  be  repeated.  The  decision 
was  taken  to  send  to  Japan  an  envoy  with  a fleet  at  his 
command  sufficiently  strong  to  ensure  a respectful  hear- 
ing of  all  he  had  to  say.  The  envoy  chosen  was 
Commodore  Perry,  the  commander  of  the  fleet.  The 
Japanese  had  been  warned  of  his  coming  by  the  Dutch, 
but  they  had  paid  little  heed  to  the  warning,  and  when 
Perry’s  fleet  sailed  into  the  Gulf  of  Tokio  on  the  8th  of 


300 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


July,  1853,  they  were  taken  almost  by  utter  surprise,  and 
the  surprise  was  greater  when  Perry  answered  the 
demand  that  he  should  take  his  fleet  to  Nagasaki  and 
there  deal  with  the  Japanese,  as  was  required  by  their 
national  laws,  through  the  medium  of  the  Dutch,  by 
declaring  that  the  laws  of  his  country  and  his  own 
instructions  required  him  to  deal  directly  with  Japanese 
authorities  of  his  own  rank  at  the  seat  of  the  Central 
Government  of  the  Empire.  He  brought  with  him  a 
letter  from  the  President  addressed  to  the  Emperor  of 
Japan  in  which  the  object  of  his  mission  wras  described, 
and  on  his  first  visit  he  contented  himself  with  delivering 
this  letter,  with  the  intimation  that  he  would  return  in 
the  following  year  for  an  answer. 

In  the  following  February  he  reappeared,  this  time 
w'ith  a greatly  increased  fleet,  and  proceeding,  wdthout 
asking  permission,  further  up  the  Gulf  than  he  had  done 
on  the  first  visit,  calmly  awraited  the  reply  to  his  letter. 
The  Government  of  the  Shogun  had,  in  the  intervening 
months,  recognized  their  incapacity,  with  their  anti- 
quated weapons  and  their  long  desuetude  from  war,  to 
oppose  him  by  force.  Many  of  the  most  powerful 
Daimios  advocated  resistance  at  all  hazard,  but  the 
Shogun’s  Government,  better  informed  than  the  local 
Daimios,  better  able  to  judge  European  military  strength 
and  Japan’s  weakness,  yielded  to  necessity,  and  after 
much  discussion  a treaty  was  signed  on  the  31st  of 
March,  1854.  Its  main  provisions  were  that  the  ports  of 
Shimoda  and  Hakodate  should  be  opened  to  American 
shipping  and  trade,  that  shipwrecked  crews  should  be 
relieved  and  the  necessary  supplies  of  provisions  fur- 
nished to  ships,  and  that  a consul  might  be  stationed  at 
Shimoda. 

The  outbreak  of  the  Crimean  War  was  then  in  view. 
A Russian  naval  squadron  w>as  in  the  Chinese  waters, 
and  an  English  squadron  was  watching  it.  In  order 


EUROPEAN  TRADE  AND  INTERCOURSE  301 


that  the  Russians  might  not  find  refuge  in  the  unknown 
harbours  of  Japan,  the  British  Admiral,  Sir  James 
Stirling,  called  at  Nagasaki  to  inquire  as  to  the  attitude 
which  the  Government  proposed  to  adopt  towards  the 
belligerents,  and  incidentally  to  his  visit  he  concluded  a 
convention  on  similar  terms  to  those  of  Commodore 
Perry’s.  As  events  turned  out,  the  Russian  Admiral, 
Putiatin,  did  enter  the  harbour  of  Shimoda,  where  his 
ship  the  Diana  was  wrecked  by  the  great  tidal  wave  of 
1854.  Perry  and  Stirling  had  both  left  the  coasts. 
There  was  yet  no  communication  between  Japan  and 
the  outward  world,  and  Putiatin  and  his  crew  had  no 
means  by  which  they  could  escape  from  the  scene  of 
their  shipwreck,  and  they  were  compelled  to  remain  in 
Japan  till  May  of  the  following  year.  Some  were  then 
taken  away  by  an  American  schooner  which  called  at 
Shimoda,  the  first  merchant  ship  to  profit  by  the  new 
treaty.  The  rest  escaped  in  a vessel  which  they  built 
for  themselves  from  the  wreckage  of  their  own  ship  and 
from  the  materials  that  were  available  in  Japan.  Putiatin 
utilized  his  enforced  stay  to  conclude  a convention  on 
behalf  of  Russia,  and  in  the  following  year  another  was 
obtained  by  Holland,  so  that  Japan  had  now  entered  into 
treaty  relations  with  four  of  the  Powers  of  the  West, 
and  the  rights  she  had  claimed  to  drive  Europeans  from 
her  coast,  to  put  them  to  death  if  they  deliberately 
landed,  were  at  an  end. 

None  of  the  new  conventions  could  be  called  com- 
mercial treaties  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the  words,  as  the 
trade  for  which  they  stipulated  was  only  that  of  supply- 
ing ships  with  their  essential  requirements,  and  the  main 
result  that  was  achieved  was  that  of  providing  what 
was,  after  all,  nothing  but  harbours  of  refuge.  The  first 
step  had,  however,  been  taken,  and  the  first  use  that  was 
made  of  the  privileges  of  the  treaty  was  fortunate  beyond 
measure.  A consul  was  stationed  at  Shimoda,  and  the 


302 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


person  chosen  for  the  post,  Mr.  Townsend  Harris,  the 
first  foreign  official  of  any  Western  nationality  to  reside 
in  Japan,  was  one  singularly  gifted  with  tact,  courage, 
patience  and  firmness.  The  story  of  how,  unbacked  by 
any  display  of  force  under  his  country’s  flag,  he  suc- 
ceeded by  his  own  personal  efforts  in  overcoming  the 
traditional  hatred  of  centuries  to  even  the  smallest 
association  with  foreigners,  is  one  of  marvellous  tact 
and  patience,  of  steady  determination  and  courage,  of 
straightforward  uprightness  in  every  respect,  that  is  not 
exceeded  by  any  in  the  entire  history  of  the  international 
relations  of  the  world.  He  won,  in  his  long  residence  in 
Japan,  the  confidence  and  trust  of  the  Japanese,  and 
when,  four  years  later,  he  told  them  that  the  conquering 
fleets  of  England  and  France,  fresh  from  their  victories 
in  China,  would  soon  be  in  their  waters,  prepared  to 
extort  from  them  as  comprehensive  a treaty  as  they  had 
secured  from  China,  they  yielded  to  his  advice  and 
signed  a Treaty  of  Trade  and  Shipping  so  complete  that 
when  the  British  and  French  ambassadors  arrived 
shortly  afterwards,  nothing  was  left  for  them  but  to 
follow  the  precedent  he  had  made.  Under  the  new 
treaties,  certain  ports  were  at  once  opened  to  the  trade 
and  residence  of  the  citizens  of  the  contracting  Powers, 
and  a new  chapter  began  in  Japanese  history. 


CHAPTER  XVI 


THE  TOKUGAWA  SHOGUNS 

Iyeyasu  on  his  death  in  the  year  1616  was  succeeded 
by  his  son  Hidetada.  As  has  been  before  stated, 
Iyeyasu  abdicated  in  1603,  though  he  continued  to  retain 
in  his  own  hands  the  de  facto  administration  of  the 
Government,  and  Hidetada  was  therefore  nominally 
Shogun  from  1603  till  1623,  when  he  in  his  turn  also  ab- 
dicated, but  it  was  only  on  his  father’s  death  that  he 
began  to  govern  in  reality.  He  was  content  to  carry  on 
his  father’s  policy — including  the  persecution  of  the 
Christians — and  having  both  the  aid  of  the  ministers 
who  had  served  his  father  and  a country  to  govern  that 
was  brought  into  complete  submission  by  his  father’s 
victories  and  statesmanship,  every  inhabitant  of  which 
enjoyed  the  blessings  of  universal  peace  after  centuries 
of  civil  war,  he  had  an  easy  task,  and  nothing  of  a 
political  nature  occurred  during  his  tenure  of  the 
Shogunate  that  requires  specific  mention.  Carrying 
out  his  father’s  dying  wishes,  he  began  the  erection  of 
the  splendid  mausoleum  at  Nikko,  the  greatest  triumph 
of  architectural  and  decorative  art  that  has  ever  been 
achieved  in  Japan,  which  to  this  day  is,  in  itself  and  its 
natural  surroundings,  the  synonym  of  beauty  in  Japan 
and  the  subject  of  wondering  admiration  to  every 
foreign  tourist. 

On  his  abdication  in  1623,  Hitetada  was  succeeded  by 
his  son  lyemitsu,  who,  next  to  Iyeyasu,  was  the  ablest 
of  all  the  Tokugawa  Shoguns,  who,  though  he  had  no 
opportunity  of  displaying  military  capacity  in  either 

3°3 


304 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


foreign  or  domestic  wars,  showed  that  in  other  respects 
he  had  inherited  his  grandfather’s  courage,  capacity  and 
determination  in  the  fullest  degree.  He  furnished  an 
exception  to  the  general  custom  of  abdication  by  retain- 
ing both  the  name  and  reality  of  power  till  he  was 
actually  on  his  death-bed.  It  was  under  him  that  the 
Christian  persecution  reached  its  apogee  of  relentlessness 
and  cruelty,  that  the  final  massacre  took  place  at  Shima- 
bara,  that  the  Dutch  were  interned  at  Desima,  and  the 
Empire  closed  to  foreign  intercourse,  and,  as  regards 
purely  domestic  policy,  that  his  grandfather’s  hold  over 
the  territorial  princes  was  irresistibly  strengthened  by  the 
obligation  which  he  imposed  on  them  of  spending  part 
of  each  year  in  Yedo,  his  own  capital.  He  greatly 
extended  the  capital,  which  was  further  ennobled  by  the 
palaces  which  the.  Daimios  built  everywhere  throughout 
it  for  the  accommodation  of  themselves  and  their  re- 
tainers, and  contributed  to  the  health  and  comfort  of  the 
inhabitants  by  the  construction  of  the  Tama  Gawa  aque- 
duct, which  brings  water  to  the  city  from  a distance 
of  twenty-seven  miles,  and  is  to  this  day  one  of  the  chief 
sources  of  its  supply.  An  estimate  may  be  formed  of 
the  size  to  which  the  capital  had  grown  from  statistics 
of  one  of  the  most  destructive  fires  that  is  recorded  in 
the  Japanese  annals.  It  took  place  in  1657,  ar*d  500 
palaces  of  the  territorial  princes,  770  residences  of  lesser 
nobility,  150  temples  and  1200  streets  are  said  to  have 
been  totally  destroyed,  while  over  107,000  lives  were 
lost. 

The  next  Shogun,  Tsunayoshi  (1681-1709),  was  born 
under  the  zodiacal  sign  of  the  dog,  and  his  character 
may  be  estimated  from  the  fact  that  dogs  were  ordered 
by  him  to  be  regarded  as  sacred  animals.  A higher 
degree  of  protection  was  afforded  to  them  while  he  lived 
than  was  given  to  human  beings,  and  injuries  to  them 
were  punished  by  more  severe  penalties.  It  was  in  his 


THE  TOKUGAWA  SHOGUNS 


305 


reign  that  Kaempfer  lived  in  Japan,  and  it  was  at  his 
Court  that  Kaempfer  underwent  the  humiliating  ordeal 
that  has  been  described  in  the  previous  chapter.  In 
speaking  of  the  dogs,  Kaempfer  says — - 

“ Since  the  now  reigning  Emperor  came  to  the  throne 
there  are  more  dogs  bred  in  Japan  than  perhaps  in  any 
one  Country  whatever,  and  than  there  were  before  even  in 
this  Empire.  They  have  their  masters,  indeed,  but  lie  about 
the  streets,  and  are  very  troublesome  to  passengers  and 
travellers.  Every  street  must,  by  special  command  of  the 
Emperor,  keep  a certain  number  of  these  animals,  and 
provide  them  with  victuals.  There  are  huts  built  in  every 
street,  where  they  are  taken  care  of  when  they  fall  sick. 
Those  that  die  must  be  carried  up  to  the  tops  of  mountains 
and  hills,  as  the  usual  burying  places,  and  very  decently 
interred.  Nobody  may,  under  severe  penalties,  insult  or 
abuse  them,  and  to  kill  them  is  a capital  crime,  whatever 
mischief  they  do.  In  this  case,  notice  of  their  misdemeanours 
must  be  given  to  the  keepers,  who  are  alone  empowered 
to  chastise  and  punish  them.  This  extraordinary  care  for 
the  preservation  of  the  dog-kind  is  the  effect  of  a superstitious 
fancy  of  the  now  reigning  Emperor  who  was  born  in  the 
sign  of  the  dog,  and  hath  for  this  reason  so  great  an 
esteem  for  this  animal,  as  the  great  Roman  Emperor 
Augustus  Caesar  is  reported  in  histories  to  have  had  for 
Rams.  The  natives  tell  a pleasant  tale  on  this  head.  A 
Japanese,  as  he  was  carrying  up  the  dead  carcass  of  a dog 
to  the  top  of  a mountain,  in  order  to  its  burial,  grew 
impatient,  grumbled  and  cursed  the  Emperor’s  birthday  and 
commands.  His  companion,  though  sensible  of  the  justice 
of  his  complaints,  bid  him  hold  his  tongue  and  be  quiet, 
and  instead  of  swearing  and  cursing,  return  thanks  to  the 
Gods  that  the  Emperor  was  not  born  in  the  Sign  of  the 
Horse,  because  in  that  case  the  load  would  have  been  much 
heavier.” 

In  Nagasaki  the  orders  were  not  so  strictly  complied 
with  as  in  other  parts  of  the  Empire, 

“yet  the  streets  lie  full  of  these  animals,  leading  a most  easy 
and  quiet  life,  giving  way  neither  to  men  nor  horses.  If 
they  happen  to  hurt  anybody,  or  otherwise  do  mischief,  so 
as  to  deserve  punishment  or  death,  nobody  dares  presume  to 
x 


30G 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


touch  them  but  the  public  Executioner,  and  not  even  he 
without  a direct  order  from  the  Governor. 

“Our  servants  brought  a native  of  Nagasaki,  who,  they 
said,  had  worked  for  us,  to  me  to  dress  him.  As  he  was 
walking  along  the  streets  a great  dog  caught  hold  of  him 
and  bit  him  cruelly  in  the  calf  of  his  leg.  Upon  our  asking 
whether  or  no  he  had  revenged  himself  upon  the  dog,  he 
returned  in  answer  that  he  was  not  such  a fool  as  to  run 
the  hazard  of  his  life  into  the  bargain.  For,  said  he,  we 
are  forbid  under  severe  penalties  to  kill  any  tame  cock  or 
hen ; and  to  kill  a dog,  for  which  animal  the  Emperor  hath 
a peculiar  esteem,  is  a capital  crime.  If  a dog  or  other 
tame  animal  dies,  the  housekeeper  must  notify  its  death  to 
the  commanding  officer  of  the  street.” 

With  all  his  superstition,  and  a taste  for  debauchery, 
especially  as  he  grew  older,  which  led  him  to  the  society 
of  degraded  favourites  and  was  in  a certain  sense  the 
cause  of  his  death,  he  was  an  enlightened  patron  of  art, 
science  and  literature,  and  the  period  of  Genroku  in  the 
Japanese  calendar  is  noted  as  that  of  the  greatest  activity 
in  art,  recalling  in  that  respect  the  brightest  days  of  the 
Ashikaga.  But,  as  the  Ashikaga  Period  was  also  the 
most  terrible  period  of  suffering  from  civil  war,  so  was 
that  of  Tsunayoshi  from  natural  calamity.  In  1703,  a 
fire,  little  less  devastating  than  that  of  1657,  broke  out 
in  Yedo.  Destructive  earthquakes  were  frequent,  one 
of  them  being  that  which  was  accompanied  by  a terrible 
eruption  of  Mount  Fuji,  when  the  perfect  symmetry  of 
the  sacred  mountain  was  spoilt  by  the  new  peak  called 
Hoyei  which  was,  on  this  occasion,  developed  on  its 
north-western  slope.  The  eruption  lasted  fifteen  days, 
and  the  dust  carried  from  the  mountain  fell  on  Yedo, 
seventy  miles  distant,  to  a depth  of  two  inches.  This 
was  Fuji’s  last  effort.  Since  then  its  fires  have  dis- 
appeared and  the  mountain  has  preserved  an  unbroken 
repose.  Tsunayoshi  paid  for  the  degrading  debauchery 
of  his  last  years  with  his  life.  He  had  no  children.  His 
lawful  heir  was  his  nephew.  He  wished  to  adopt  one  of 


THE  TOKUGAWA  SHOGUNS 


307 


his  unworthy  favourites  as  his  son,  and  so  exclude  the 
lawful  heir.  His  own  wife  prevented  the  accomplish- 
ment of  this  purpose  by  assassinating  him  and  then 
killing  herself.  lyenobu  (1709-1712),  his  successor,  for 
whom  the  lady  had  made  so  great  a sacrifice,  lived  only 
for  three  years,  but  endeavoured  in  that  short  period 
to  wipe  out  by  his  conduct  and  government  the  un- 
savoury record  of  his  predecessor.  His  son  again, 
Iyetsuga,  a boy  ten  years  of  age  when  he  succeeded, 
only  reigned  for  two  years,  and  with  him  Iyeyasu’s 
direct  line  came  to  an  end.  Provision  had  been  made 
for  this  contingency  by  Iyeyasu.  In  the  redistribution 
of  the  fiefs  after  his  accession  to  the  Shogunate,  three 
of  the  richest  fiefs  in  the  Empire,  Ki,  Owari  and  Mito, 
were  conferred  on  three  of  his  sons.  Their  descendants 
were  called  the  Go  San  Kei,  the  three  illustrious 
families ; they  took  precedence  of  all  the  other  Daimios, 
and  Iyeyasu  directed  that  successors  to  the  Shogunate 
should  be  chosen,  in  the  event  of  the  failure  of  his  own 
direct  line,  from  the  cadets  of  one  of  these  three  families. 
Yoshimune  (1716-1744)  of  the  Ki  family  was  now,  in 
accordance  with  these  directions,  chosen  as  Shogun,  and 
the  remainder  of  the  Tokugawa  Shoguns,  six  in  all,  were 
his  direct  descendants.  Two  of  his  sons  and  a grandson 
subsequently  founded  three  noble  houses,  Tayasu, 
Hitotsubashi  and  Shimidzu,  which  were  known  as  the 
Go  San  Kio,  or  Three  Nobles,  and  the  right  of  suc- 
ceeding to  the  Shogunate  was  extended  to  them.  Yoshi- 
mune himself  was  a capable  governor,  and  made  many 
important  reforms,  among  which  may  be  mentioned 
the  abolition  of  the  torture  of  witnesses  and  of  suspects 
accused  of  trivial  offences  — the  torture  of  persons 
accused  of  grave  offences  continued  till  long  after  the 
accession  of  the  present  Emperor — and  the  grant  of 
appeal  to  the  Shogun  in  all  cases  which  involved  the 
penalty  of  death,  both  very  drastic  reforms  in  the  admin- 
x 2 


308 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


istration  of  the  Criminal  Law.  The  old,  old  story  was 
repeated  in  the  case  of  all  his  successors.  As  did  the 
Emperors,  the  Fujiwara,  the  Hojo  and  the  Ashikaga 
in  past  ages,  so  now  the  Tokugawa  Shoguns  allowed 
themselves  to  lapse  into  idleness  and  effeminacy,  to  neg- 
lect the  affairs  of  the  state  for  indulgence  in  voluptuous 
or  artistic  pleasures,  and  to  leave  the  conduct  of  the 
administration  entirely  to  their  ministers  and  councillors. 
Their  direct  personal  authority  became  as  nominal  as 
that  of  the  Emperor  had  been  for  1200  years.  Through 
all  their  reigns  there  is  little  to  record  in  the  domestic 
history  of  the  country,  and  foreign  history  it  had  none. 
But  these  years  gave  a great  lesson  as  to  the  heavy 
price  the  nation  had  to  pay  for  its  seclusion.  In  a 
previous  chapter  we  have  stated  that  the  country  pro- 
duced within  its  own  borders  all  that  it  required  for  the 
luxuries  and  comforts  of  life.  This  was  perfectly  true 
as  a rule,  and  in  all  the  normal  years.  All  years  were, 
however,  not  normal.  Drought  and  floods  played  havoc 
with  the  crops  then,  as  they  do  now  in  Japan,  and  when 
the  harvest  failed,  no  help  could  be  had  from  the  great 
rice-producing  countries  that  were  within  a few  days’ 
sail  from  Japan,  where  the  supply  of  rice,  the  main 
staple  of  the  people’s  food,  was  overflowing  and  crying 
out  for  new  markets.  The  Japanese  had  abundant 
means  to  pay  if  they  could  only  buy,  but  that  their 
law  forbade  them  to  do.  Their  own  rice  failed.  They 
could  not  live  on  their  hoarded  gold,  on  the  products 
of  their  mines  or  on  their  manufactures,  whether  artistic 
or  purely  economic.  And  so  they  had  to  starve,  while 
they  had  only  to  stretch  out  their  hands  to  find  food  in 
abundance.  There  is  a long  list  of  the  national  famines 
in  the  eighteenth  and  the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth 
centuries.  No  less  than  twenty-one  are  recorded  in  less 
than  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  nearly  an  average  of 
one  in  every  seven  years.  Some  were  of  terrible  severity. 


THE  TOKUGAWA  SHOGUNS 


309 


The  horrors  of  that  of  1836  far  exceeded  the  worst  that 
are  told  of  the  Irish  famine  of  1848.  And  famine  was 
always  accompanied  of  speedily  followed  by  cholera,  which 
carried  off  the  weak  and  exhausted  people  by  thousands. 
Nothing  has  been  more  remarkable  in  all  the  recent 
history  of  Japan  than  the  rapidity  with  which  the  popu- 
lation has  grown.  Since  the  restoration,  an  annual 
census  has  been  accurately  taken — the  system  of  house- 
hold registration  in  Japan  renders  this  a much  simpler 
task  than  with  us — and  figures,  whose  absolute  accuracy 
cannot  be  doubted,  show  that  there  has  been  a steady 
annual  increase  of  over  half  a million  in  the  population. 
It  has  grown  from  thirty  millions  in  1858  to  fifty-two 
millions  in  1898.  In  the  eighteenth  and  the  first  half 
of  the  nineteenth  centuries  no  census  was  taken  as  such, 
but  strict  records  of  the  people  were  kept  for  the  purpose 
of  disciplinary  supervision  and  taxation.  In  1750,  the 
population  was  less  than  thirty  millions,  it  was  almost 
exactly  the  same  in  1800,  and  it  remained  stationary  at 
that  figure  till  the  country  was  open  to  foreign  trade. 
No  drain  was  made  on  the  people  either  by  wTar  or 
emigration.  They  enjoyed  absolute  and  unbroken  peace  ; 
they  could  not  go  abroad;  famine  and  pestilence  wiped 
out  their  natural  increase.  Earthquakes,  tidal  waves  and 
conflagrations  contributed  their  fatal  quota,  but  it  was 
insignificant  when  compared  to  the  ravages  of  the  twro 
great  destroyers.  Further  volcanic  eruptions  occurred 
in  1783  and  1793  : the  first  that  of  Asamayama,  a volcano 
about  eight  thousand  feet  high,  in  the  province  of 
Shinano,  which  is  still  in  full  action— in  it  the  natives 
say  the  fires  are  always  burning — and  the  last  at  the 
sulphur  springs  at  Unzen  in  Kiushiu,  in  which  so  many 
of  the  Christians  met  their  deaths  in  the  great  perse- 
cution. The  eruption  of  Asamayama  began  on  the  25th 
of  June  and  lasted  till  the  21st  of  August. 


310 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


“The  noise  it  made  was  like  that  of  a thousand  thunders.  To 
the  very  foot  the  whole  mountain  seemed  to  be  on  fire,  and 
from  the  midst  of  the  smoke  lightning  flashed  in  every  direc- 
tion. Night  and  day  were  equally  dark.  All  that  happened  could 
not  be  told  with  the  tongue  nor  described  with  the  pen.  The 
lava  streams  flowed  on  to  the  plains  to  the  distance  of  thirty- 
eight  miles.  Stones,  hundreds  of  tons  in  weight,  were 
hurled  into  the  air  and  fell  like  the  leaves  of  the  trees,  and 
these  very  stones  still  lie  on  the  slopes  of  the  mountain.” 

All  the  villages  around  were  destroyed,  the  country 
wasted  and  thousands  of  the  villagers  died  both  in  the 
eruption  and  from  the  famine  that  followed.  The  erup- 
tion and  earthquake  at  Unzen  were  even  worse.  The 
boiling  water  of  the  springs  overflowed  and  poured  down 
the  mountain  side,  sweeping  the  villagers  before  it,  and 
condemning  them  to  a death  hardly  less  horrible  than 
their  ancestors  may  have  seen  the  Christians  suffer  a 
hundred  and  fifty  years  previously.  And  at  Shimabara, 
where  the  last  massacre  took  place,  earthquake  spread 
ruin  and  destruction.  More  than  53,000  people,  more 
than  the  toll  of  the  Christians  slaughtered  on  the  last 
fatal  day  of  1643,  are  known  to  have  perished  in  the 
earthquake  and  the  eruption. 

The  last  of  the  Tokugawa  Shoguns  was  Yoshinobu, 
who  still  lives,  no  longer  as  Shogun,  but  as  Prince 
Tokugawa,  in  the  highest  rank  of  the  ordinary  nobility 
of  the  Emperor.  The  story  of  his  accession  and  fall  and 
the  final  close  of  the  dual  system  of  government  belongs 
to  the  next  chapter. 


CHAPTER  XVII 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR 

The  advent  of  foreigners  was  undoubtedly  the  direct 
cause  of  the  fall  of  the  walls  which  encircled  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  Shogun  and  shielded  it  from  assaults  by  its 
own  people,  but  these  walls  were  already  tottering 
before  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century,  and  Perry 
only  set  in  active  motion  the  ram  which  was  ready  to 
batter  them  down  long  before  his  ships  sailed  up  the 
Gulf  of  Yedo. 

It  has  been  told  how  Buddhism  obtained  a firm  hold 
on  the  nation  in  the  sixth  and  seventh  centuries.  Its 
influence  was  for  a time,  long  in  itself  but  only  a brief 
interlude  in  the  life  of  a nation,  somewhat  diminished 
under  the  persecution  of  Nobunaga  and  in  its  conflict 
with  Christianity,  when  the  Jesuits  were  at  the  height 
of  their  success,  but  it  continued  to  be  the  principal 
factor  in  the  spiritual  guidance  of  the  people,  and,  after 
the  extirpation  of  Christianity,  it  regained,  under  the 
fostering  care  of  Iyeyasu  and  his  successors,  even  more 
than  it  had  ever  lost.  While  the  nation  was  devoted 
to  it,  the  ancient  national  religion  was  neglected,  almost 
forgotten,  and  its  precepts,  among  the  foremost  of  which 
was  that  which  claimed  a divine  origin  for  the  Emperor, 
invested  him  with  the  sanctity  that  was  due  to  his 
descent,  and  imposed  on  all  the  duty  of  implicit 
obedience  in  virtue  of  that  descent,  fell  into  utter  neg- 
lect. The  people  knew  that  their  Emperor  lived  at 
Kioto,  but  he  was  so  shrouded  from  their  gaze,  his 

3” 


312 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


personality  so  utterly  lost  to  tHeir  knowledge,  that  they 
had  practically  ceased  to  regard  him  as  an  entity  in 
the  political  system,  though,  theoretically,  he  never 
ceased  to  be  the  sole  foundation  of  all  honour,  law  and 
authority,  even  at  the  darkest  period  of  his  thraldom 
under  iron-willed  dictators.  Nothing  can  better  demon- 
strate the  condition  of  the  impotency  into  which  he  had 
fallen  than  the  fact  that  he  is  only  twice  mentioned  in 
the  voluminous  History  of  the  Church,  and  is  only 
referred  to  by  Kaempfer  as  “the  Ecclesiastical  Emperor  ” 
who  seems,  in  Kaempfer’s  estimation,  to  have  been  at 
best  no  more  than  a Pope,  but  less  than  a Pope  in  that 
he  concerned  himself,  neither  directly  nor  indirectly,  in 
secular  affairs.  When  Xavier  visited  Kioto,  he  found 
that  the  Emperor’s  influence  was  so  shadowy  that  he 
did  not  think  it  worth  soliciting  for  the  Church,  and 
Kaempfer,  though  he  passed  through  Kioto  on  both 
his  journeys  to  and  from  Yedo,  made  no  effort  while 
there  to  learn  aught  of  the  mysterious  sovereign  who 
lived  in  it,  and  he  ignores  him  with  a silence  that  is 
almost  contemptuous.  Wherever  either  the  Jesuit 
Fathers  or  Kaempfer  speak  of  the  Emperor,  they 
invariably  mean  the  Shogun. 

In  the  eighteenth  century,  a great  school  of  native 
research  and  learning  was  founded  at  his  capital  by  Mit- 
sukuni,  the  second  Prince  of  Mito,  who,  just  as  Hideyoshi 
is  called  the  Warwick  of  Japan,  has  been  described  as 
the  Maecenas  of  Japan  on  account  of  his  own  scholar- 
ship and  his  encouragement  of  learning  in  others.  He 
governed  the  fief  of  Mino  from  1661  to  1690.  Working 
under  his  patronage,  the  best  scholars  of  the  Empire 
explored  the  ancient  traditions  and  records  of  the  time 
when  the  Emperor  was  the  real  de  facto  as  well  as  the 
de  jure  governor  of  the  land.  The  result  of  their  work 
was  the  Dai  Nihonshi,  the  history  of  Great  Japan,  from 
the  accession  of  the  Emperor  Jimmu  to  the  abdication 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  313 


of  Go  Komatsu,  the  ninety-ninth  Emperor  of  the  line. 
It  was  finished  in  1715,  but  the  times  did  not  permit 
its  publication,  and  it  was  not  printed  till  1857.  Manu- 
script copies  were  made  and  widely  circulated  and,  as 
it  was  used  and  studied,  so  was  the  long  dormant 
national  interest  aroused  in  the  ancient  faith,  the  in- 
evitable concomitant  of  which  was  increased  reverence 
for  the  Emperor  and  the  spread  of  the  conviction  that 
the  continued  maintenance  of  the  dual  form  of  govern- 
ment was  incompatible  with  the  full  observance  of  that 
reverence.  The  Prince  of  Mito  was  of  the  Tokugawa 
blood,  the  grandson  of  the  great  founder  of  that  family. 
His  own  family  was  one  of  the  greatest  branches  of  the 
Tokugawa  house,  one  of  the  three  which  had  the  right 
to  furnish  a successor  to  the  Shogunate.  His  zeal  for 
learning  overcame  his  family  loyalty  and,  though  the 
Bakufu 1 attempted  to  repress  it,  the  study  of  the 
national  literature  went  on,  and  the  true  relations  of  the 
Emperor  and  the  Shogun,  those  of  lord  and  vassal,  were 
exposed  and  the  desire  was  roused  to  restore  them  to 
their  proper  standing. 

In  1827  another  great  work  was  completed,  the  Nihon 
Guaishi  (“The  External  History  of  Japan”),  which  tells 
the  history  of  the  Shogunate,  from  its  foundation  by 
Yoritomo  in  the  twelfth  century  down  to  the  accession 
of  Iyeyasu  in  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
The  Nihon  Guaishi  was  as  widely  read  by  scholars  as 
the  Dai  Nihonshi.  The  teaching  of  both  works  was 
that  the  Mikado  was  the  only  legitimate  sovereign  of  the 

1 “ Bakufu  ” — curtain  office — was  the  usual  vernacular  term  for  the 
Shogun’s  government.  In  military  camps,  it  was  customary  to  surround 
the  general’s  quarters  with  a curtain.  The  Shogun  having  been  origin- 
ally a general,  the  curtain,  that  he  would  have  had  in  the  field,  was 
supposed  to  be  hung  round  the  office  in  which  he  administered  his 
government,  and  the  term  finally  extended  to  the  government  itself. 
The  use  of  the  curtain  still  survives,  though  in  a humbler  way.  It 
may  be  seen  at  any  time  round  happy  picnic  parties  when  the  cherry- 
trees  or  the  azaleas  are  in  flower. 


314 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Empire  to  whom  the  allegiance  of  every  Japanese  was 
alone  due,  and  that  the  government  of  the  Shogunate 
was  a usurpation,  founded  only  on  the  power  of  the 
sword.  The  style  of  both,  it  may  be  stated,  written  as 
they  were  in  the  most  classical  Chinese,  rendered  them 
as  unintelligible  to  the  masses,  who,  however,  did  not 
count  as  political  factors,  as  Milton’s  Defence  of  the 
People  of  England  would  have  been  to  the  common 
people  of  Great  Britain  in  the  days  preceding  the 
Restoration. 

The  revived  doctrine  was  eagerly  imbibed  by  the 
great  territorial  princes,  who  had  long  fretted  under 
the  domination  of  one  who  was  of  no  higher  origin 
than  themselves  and  the  political  and  social  disabilities 
which  were  imposed  on  them.  While  the  Shogun  was 
a man  of  strong  character  and  great  military  capacity 
and  was  backed  by  a force  that  was  immeasurably 
superior  to  any  that  could  be  placed  in  the  field  against 
him,  might  was  right,  and  his  power  had  to  be  accepted 
and  bowed  to.  These  conditions  no  longer  existed 
when  he  was  a mere  faineant,  equally  destitute  of  ability 
or  energy.  The  superior  military  force  was  still  at  his 
command,  but  it  lost  its  effect  when  there  was  no  master 
mind  to  direct  it,  no  general  of  supreme  ability  to 
handle  it  in  the  field,  and  the  prestige  of  invincibility 
which  the  genius  of  Iyeyasu  gave  to  the  Tokugawa 
soldiers  ceased  to  have  any  existence.  Another  doctrine 
which,  though  it  fell  into  abeyance  in  the  Early  and 
Middle  Ages,  had  its  origin  in  the  most  remote  period 
of  antiquity,  was  that  Japan,  being  the  Land  of  the 
Gods,  could  only  be  worthily  inhabited  by  people  who 
were  the  children  of  the  Gods.  This  doctrine  entirely 
disappeared  under  the  influence  of  Buddhism.  It  had 
no  place  at  all  in  Iyemitsu’s  reasons  for  excluding 
foreigners  which  were  entirely  political — to  guard 
against  the  danger  of  invasion  following  on  a whole- 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  315 


sale  conversion  of  the  people  to  Christianity.  To 
foreigners  as  such,  Iyemitsu  had  no  more  objection  than 
his  predecessors  who  ruled  the  Empire  through  preced- 
ing generations,  and  of  the  good-will  of  those  pre- 
decessors we  have  already  given  numerous  illustrations. 
But  the  new  doctrine  brought  with  it  a very  different 
spirit.  The  very  touch  of  foreigners  was  regarded  as 
pollution,  their  presence  as  desecration  to  the  divine 
land,  and  they  must  be  kept  out  at  all  hazards,  at  all 
cost.  This  was  the  spirit  that  permeated  the  whole 
nation  from  the  Imperial  Court  down  to  the  humblest 
Samurai  in  the  service  of  the  most  insignificant  Daimio. 
The  Bakufu  might  also  have  acted  on  it,  but  that  they 
knew  they  could  not.  Better  informed  than  the  Court 
and  the  local  princes,  they  were  fully  conscious  of 
Japan’s  military  impotency,  and  when  the  foreigners 
came  with  their  ships,  their  men,  and  their  heavy 
guns,  prepared  to  use  them  if  their  demands  were  not 
complied  with,  they  knew  that  it  was  better  to  yield 
with  grace,  even  though  it  was  but  temporarily,  than 
suffer  the  humiliation  of  having  to  bow  down  to  force. 

The  last  Emperor  we  have  mentioned  in  our  story  as 
an  active  political  factor  was  Go  Daigo,  who  reigned  in 
the  fourteenth  century.  Since  then  not  one  single 
occupant  of  the  Imperial  throne  directly  interfered  in 
the  affairs  of  the  state.  Some  of  them,  while  on  the 
throne,  never  passed  beyond  the  stage  of  boyhood,  but 
those  who  did  had  been  brought  up  in  such  a way  that 
they  were  equally  destitute  in  manhood  of  mental  and 
physical  energy,  and  could  not,  if  they  would,  make 
their  names  a power  to  influence  the  Government. 
They  were  immured  in  their  palaces,  in  the  society  of 
women  and  courtiers,  little  better  informed  than  them- 
selves, cut  off  from  all  the  active  intellects  of  their 
Empire,  and  at  their  palace  doors  they  were  watched 
and  guarded  by  emissaries  of  the  Shogun,  whose  duty 


316 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


it  was  to  see  that  none  had  ever  access  to  them  on 
whose  devotion  to  himself  the  Shogun  could  not 
implicitly  rely. 

The  Emperor  on  the  throne  at  the  time  of  Perry’s 
arrival,  and  for  the  fourteen  years  that  followed  it,  was 
Komei  (1847-1867),  the  father  of  the  present  sovereign, 
the  hundred  and  twentieth  of  the  line,  who  ascended 
the  throne  in  1847  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years.  When 
Perry  first  appeared  he  was  therefore  twenty-three  years 
of  age,  in  the  very  prime  of  early  manhood,  and  he 
neither  then,  nor  afterwards,  lapsed  into  the  mental 
degeneration  of  so  many  of  his  predecessors.  The 
revived  national  ideal  of  patriotism  sank  into  his  heart; 
he  hated  the  Bakufu  as  the  usurper  who  had  reduced 
his  Imperial  prerogatives  to  a nullity;  he  hated  still 
more  the  foreigners,  whom  he  had  never  seen,  of  whom 
he  knew  nothing,  who  now  threatened  to  pollute  his 
divine  country  with  their  presence.  Nominal  though 
the  Emperor’s  authority  was,  it  had  never  ceased  to 
exist  in  name,  and  now  it  was  becoming  something 
more  than  nominal.  But  even  if  it  had  still  been  as 
shadowy  as  in  the  worst  periods  of  the  Imperial 
impotency,  the  Emperor’s  sanction  would  have  been 
required  to  legalize  so  great  a constitutional  reform  as 
the  opening  of  the  country  to  foreign  intercourse.  The 
Shogun’s  Government,  in  their  distraction  at  the  new 
complications  which  the  advent  of  foreigners  imposed 
upon  them,  ignored  their  constitutional  obligation  and 
signed  the  Treaties  with  Harris,  with  Lord  Elgin,  and 
with  the  other  Powers,  without  going  through  the  form- 
ality of  asking  the  Emperor’s  consent  in  advance,  and 
when  what  they  had  done  became  known  at  Kioto,  the 
anger  of  the  Emperor  and  the  indignation  of  the  Court 
were  great.  They  were  rendered  still  greater  when  it 
was  disclosed  that,  in  the  Treaties  with  the  foreigners, 
the  Shogun  had  described  himself  as  Tai  Kun, 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  317 


Sovereign  Lord,  an  altogether  new  title,  hitherto  un- 
known, which  assumed  the  sovereignty  that  really  only 
belonged  to  the  Emperor.  Still  the  Bakufu  might  have 
treated  both  with  contemptuous  disregard  in  their 
hearts,  however  outward  their  deference.  An  Emperor, 
without  men  or  money,  a poverty-stricken  Court  without 
experience,  were  negligible  quantities,  no  matter  how 
great  their  theoretical  prestige.  But  now  the  great 
feudal  Princes,  Satsuma,  Choshiu,  Kaga,  Tosa  and 
others  were  ranging  themselves  by  the  Emperor’s  side, 
and  they  had  both  men  and  money.  Singly,  they  could 
do  nothing  against  the  Shogun;  united  for  a great 
cause,  under  a great  rallying  cry,  they  might,  though 
it  was  not  at  all  certain,  be  a match  for  all  the  might 
and  wealth  of  the  Bakufu  and  of  the  feudal  Princes  who 
were  bound  to  the  Tokugawa  Shoguns  by  ties  of  blood 
and  long  alliance,  who  would  still,  no  doubt,  support 
its  cause  as  they  had  done  from  the  old  time  when 
Iyeyasu  first  threw  down  the  gauntlet  to  the  Leaguers 
of  Osaka.  Both  the  cause  and  the  cry  were  now 
found  : “Honour  the  Emperor  and  expel  the  Barbarians” 
were  watchwords  that  were  soon  ringing  through  all 
the  land  to  the  west  and  south  of  Kioto.  The  north 
and  east  still  remained  firm  in  allegiance  to  the  Shogun, 
prepared  to  defend  to  the  last  the  prerogatives  that  he 
had  held  and  exercised  in  Yedo  ever  since  the  capital 
was  built. 

The  position  of  the  Shogun’s  Government  was  dis- 
tracting enough  to  have  tried  to  the  utmost  the  ability 
of  the  greatest  statesmen.  On  the  one  side,  they  had 
foreigners  demanding  the  rights  to  trade  and  reside  in 
the  Empire,  and  they  knew  they  could  not  resist  these 
demands.  On  the  other,  they  had  the  legitimate 
sovereign  and  the  most  powerful  feudatories  demand- 
ing that  the  foreigners  should  be  driven  out  by  force 
and  the  old  seclusion  maintained  unimpaired,  the 


318 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


Emperor  himself  proposing  to  lead  the  national  army 
in  person,  as  his  ancestors  had  done  sixteen  hundred 
years  before,  in  the  holy  war  against  the  sacrilegious 
barbarians.  And  another  complication  arose  to  be- 
wilder them  all.  All  Samurai  were  in  the  service  of 
some  feudal  lord  who,  while  he  was  bound  to  maintain 
them  and  their  families  and  could  claim  their  lives  in 
his  service  if  he  willed,  was,  at  the  same  time,  respons- 
ible for  their  conduct  towards  the  state.  It  was  the 
custom  that  Samurai,  whose  conduct  either  actually 
involved  their  lords  in  complications  with  the  Govern- 
ment or  with  their  peers,  or  threatened  to  do  so,  should 
disassociate  themselves  from  their  allegiance  and  be- 
come what  was  called  ronin  (wave-men),  vagabonds, 
who,  though  still  gentlemen  and  retaining  the  privileges 
of  their  caste  and  their  swords,  were  subject  and  owed 
lealty  to  no  lord,  for  whose  conduct  therefore  no  lord 
could  be  held  responsible.  The  clans  as  such  were  not 
yet  prepared  to  go  to  the  last  resort  of  open  warfare 
against  the  Shogun,  but  large  numbers  of  the  retainers, 
craving  to  show  their  patriotism  by  deeds,  now  became 
ronin  and,  spreading  over  all  the  country,  sowed  the 
seeds  of  disaffection  and  vented  at  once  their  hatred  of 
the  Shogunate  and  of  the  barbarians  by  frequent 
murders  of  the  newly  arrived  foreign  residents,  and 
by  equally  frequent  assassinations  of  partisans  of  the 
Shogunate  among  their  own  countrymen.  The  Govern- 
ment was  at  its  wits’  end.  The  foreign  ministers, 
whose  legations  were  in  the  capital,  demanded  the  con- 
dign punishment  of  these  murderers  and  the  prevention 
of  the  recurrence  of  the  outrages  they  committed.  The 
Government  could  not  always  find  the  murderers,  and 
no  effective  discipline  could  be  imposed  on  the  ronin, 
who  wandered  everywhere,  openly  or  in  secret,  but  in 
either  case  could  not  without  some  act  of  violence  be 
brought  within  the  grasp  of  the  law.  Heaven  added 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  319 


its  quota  to  the  distractions  and  burthens  of  the  be- 
wildered Government.  In  1855  an  earthquake  caused 
ruin  through  the  Eastern  Provinces,  the  personal 
domains  of  the  Shogun,  and  the  death  of  over  104,000 
persons.  In  1858  a cholera  epidemic  spread  through 
the  land,  and  the  deaths,  again  in  Yedo  alone,  in  less 
than  one  month,  exceeded  30,000.  When  bewilderment 
and  confusion  were  at  their  height,  the  Shogun,  Iyesada, 
suddenly  died.  He  was  childless,  and  the  question  of 
his  heir  was,  before  his  death,  a matter  of  acute  policy, 
which  was  further  accentuated  by  differences  in  regard 
to  the  opening  of  the  country. 

The  Shogun’s  Court  was  divided  into  two  strongly 
antagonistic  parties  on  both  points.  At  the  head  of 
one  party  was  Nariaki,  the  Prince  of  Mito,  the  descend- 
ant of  the  great  Maecenas  of  the  seventeenth  century,  a 
near  relation  of  the  Shogun,  a man  of  strong  will  and 
character,  who  had  filled  many  great  offices  in  the 
Government.  The  head  of  the  other  party  was  Ii 
Kamon  no  Kami,  Prince  of  Hikone,1  a descendant  of 
one  of  Iyeyasu’s  most  trusted  generals.  An  office  in 
the  Court  of  the  Shogun,  somewhat  analogous  to  that 

1 The  full  name  and  titles  of  this  nobleman  may  be  mentioned  as  a 
specific  illustration  of  Japanese  nomenclature: — Hikone,  Ii  Naosuke, 
Kamon  no  Kami.  Hikone  was  his  territorial  name  taken  from  his 
fief  in  the  province  of  Omi ; I i his  family  and  N aosuke  his  own  personal 
name.  Kamon  no  Kami — Lord  of  the  Grounds — was  the  name  of  the 
office  he  held  at  the  Court  of  the  Emperor.  Just  as  with  ourselves  a 
great  nobleman  is  proud  to  accept  an  office  at  the  Court  of  the  King, 
such  as  Lord  Chamberlain  or  Master  of  the  Horse,  so  were  the  greatest 
of  the  territorial  nobles  in  Old  Japan  both  proud  to  accept  and  eager 
to  obtain  even  the  most  insignificant  offices  in  the  Court  of  the  Em- 
peror which  invested  the  holders  with  a much  higher  dignity  in  the 
eyes  of  their  countrymen  than  did  the  territorial  titles  even  of  the 
wealthiest  and  most  powerful  fief.  Shimadzu,  the  Prince  of  Satsuma, 
and  Mori,  the  Prince  of  Choshiu,  the  two  most  powerful  of  all  the 
feudatories,  were  in  this  way  respectively  Shuri  no  Kami  and  Daizen 
no  Kami,  Lords  of  the  Carpenters  and  of  the  Kitchen.  The  office,  once 
obtained,  became  hereditary  and,  as  in  the  present  instance,  the  actual 
holder  was  usually  mentioned  by  its  title,  while  his  territorial  title  was 
borne  by  his  eldest  son  in  the  father’s  lifetime. 


320 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


of  Kuambaku  in  the  Court  of  the  Emperor,  with  the 
exception  that  it  was  not  invariably  filled,  and  was  only 
filled  of  necessity  on  occasions  of  national  emergency, 
was  that  of  Tairo — chief  elder — virtually  Prime  Minister. 
This  office  was  first  conferred  on  Iyeyasu’s  general, 
and  it  had  become  almost  hereditary  in  the  Hikone 
family,  which,  an  exception  to  the  general  rule  of 
territorial  princes,  had  seldom  failed  in  having  at  the 
head  of  the  house  men  of  character  and  ability. 

Ii  Naosuke  was  a younger  son  of  his  father,  brought 
up  in  the  most  frugal  manner,  without  any  expectation 
of  ever  succeeding  to  the  property  and  title.  The  founder 
of  the  family  left  instructions  for  the  guidance  of  his 
posterity  that  only  the  most  moderate  competency  should 
be  given  out  of  the  family  estates  to  sons  who  were  neither 
heirs  in  his  own  family,  nor  were  adopted  into  others, 
nor  attained  high  official  rank,  and  the  story  of  Naosuke 
and  his  brethren  is  a very  curious  illustration  of  family 
life  in  the  nobility  of  that  time.  When  the  father  died 
the  eldest  son  naturally  succeeded.  He,  having  no 
children,  adopted  his  own  brother,  next  in  years,  as  his 
son  and  heir.  A third  brother  was  adopted  by  the  Prince 
of  Hiuga,  and  so  became  heir  to  a principality  of  more 
than  moderate  wealth,  and  Naosuke  alone  was  left  to 
experience  in  his  own  person  the  full  effects  of  his 
ancestor’s  directions.  An  allowance  was  assigned  to  him 
not  more  than  sufficient  to  maintain  the  position  of  a 
squire  of  good  degree,  and  on  this  he  lived;  from 
the  age  of  twenty  to  thirty-five,  on  a humble  estate 
in  the  family  fief.  Many,  under  such  circumstances,  in 
the  consciousness  of  neglect  and  indifference  on  the  part 
of  those  nearest  to  them,  would  have  given  way  to  the 
temptations  of  such  pleasures  as  were  within  reach  or 
to  despair.  Not  so  Naosuke.  All  his  earliest  years  were 
devoted  to  earnest  study,  both  of  civil  and  military 
subjects,  and  the  consequence  was  that,  when  he  arrived 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  321 


at  the  prime  of  manhood,  he  was  exceptionally  gifted 
in  all  the  accomplishments  and  knowledge  that  became 
a Samurai  of  the  highest  type.  In  a moment,  as  it  were, 
all  his  future  was  changed ; the  sudden  death  of  one 
brother  made  Naosuke  the  heir  of  the  family,  and  within 
a very  short  time  afterwards,  the  death  of  the  prince 
made  the  brave  and  accomplished  Samurai  who,  a year 
before,  had  been  working  hard  in  the  country  and  living 
on  his  slender  means  in  the  utmost  frugality,  the  power- 
ful and  wealthy  Prince  of  Hikone,  the  feudal  head  of  a 
warlike  and  numerous  clan,  entitled  by  descent  to  a 
foremost  place  in  the  council  of  the  Bakufu.  This  was 
just  three  years  before  Perry  arrived.  Both  Nariaki  and 
Naosuke  were  in  Yedo  when  the  question  arose,  during 
Iyesada’s  lifetime,  of  the  choice  of  a successor.  The 
form  of  the  Shogun’s  Government  may  be  here  described. 
The  Shogun  himself  nominally  was  at  the  head  of  all, 
but  he  had  ceased  to  exercise  any  direct  control,  and  the 
administration  was  left  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  state 
councils.  First  in  authority  was  the  “Go-ro-jiu,”  the 
elders — sometimes  called  the  Goyo-beya,  or  chamber  of 
public  business — which  was  composed  of  five  or  six  of 
the  greatest  of  the  Fudai  Daimios,  the  descendants  of 
the  Daimios  who  adhered  to  Iyeyasu  before  the  fall  of 
the  castle  of  Osaka,  who  were  bound  to  the  Tokugawas 
by  strong  ties  of  common  interest  and  ancestral  con- 
nection, who  together  formed  the  cabinet,  and  one  of 
whom  practically  occupied  the  post  of  Prime  Minister, 
though  each  member  formally  presided  over  the  meetings 
in  monthly  rotation.  Next  in  rank  came  the  “Waka- 
Toshiyori  ” — the  young  elders — usually  five  in  number, 
who  were  also  Fudai  Daimios,  and  formed  a second 
cabinet.  These  two  councils  practically  constituted  the 
Government.  Beneath  them  were  a number  of  depart- 
ments presided  over  by  Bugiyo— commissioners  or 
secretaries  of  state — dealing  with  finance,  religion, 

Y 


322 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


justice,  military  and  such  naval  affairs  as  coast  defence, 
the  administration  of  the  city  of  Yedo  and  the  general 
business  of  a Government.  The  Princes  of  the  three 
great  houses,  from  which  alone  an  heir  to  the  Shogunate 
could  be  chosen,  had  as  such  no  corporate  existence  and 
no  administrative  functions  to  discharge  outside  their  own 
dominions,  but  they  were,  if  old  enough,  usually  but  not 
necessarily  members  of  one  or  other  of  the  great  councils, 
but  whoever  the  members  were,  they  were  invariably 
chiefs  or  members  of  clans  whose  devotion  to  the  Toku- 
gawa  was  ancestral  and  unquestionable.  If  not  members 
of  either  council,  the  heads  of  the  Go  San  Kei  could,  from 
their  wealth,  power  and  prestige,  still  exercise  a consider- 
able influence  on  the  public  policy,  still  more  so  when  any 
one  was  a man  of  ability  and  strong  will.  In  the  heyday 
of  the  Tokugawa’s  might  and  influence,  none  of  the 
other  clans,  great  and  powerful  though  they  were,  were 
consulted,  and  that  compliment  was  paid  to  them  for  the 
first  time  in  the  general  national  distraction  and  in  the 
division  in  the  Shogun’s  own  councils  that  followed  the 
arrival  of  Perry.  Until  then,  the  Shogun’s  rule  was 
absolute  in  its  most  complete  sense,  saving  always  the 
shadowy  authority  of  the  Emperor. 

At  Kioto,  the  Court  of  the  Emperor,  the  Shogun  was 
represented  by  an  officer  called  the  Sho-Shi-Dai,  whose 
duty  it  was  to  act  as  intermediary  with  the  Emperor, 
to  administer  the  Emperor’s  finances,  for  the  provision 
of  which  he  was  almost  entirely  dependent  on  the 
Shogun,  and  to  safeguard  the  Shogun’s  interests  at 
Court.  It  is  always  to  be  remembered  that,  in  view  of 
the  theoretical  prerogatives  of  the  Emperor,  it  was  all- 
important  to  keep  him  under  the  influence  of  the 
Shogun,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  the  great  territorial 
princes  unconnected  with  him  by  family  ties  who,  had 
they  once  succeeded  in  getting  the  Emperor  into  their 
possession,  would  from  that  fact  alone  have  become  the 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  323 


constitutional  governors,  so  long  as  their  possession 
continued.  As  a safeguard  against  this,  the  Daimios 
were  not  permitted  to  have  residences  in  Kioto,  and  the 
city  was  always  garrisoned  by  clans  on  whose  fidelity  to 
the  Tokugawas  the  most  implicit  reliance  could  be 
placed. 

Between  1853  and  1857,  Nariaki  was  a member  of  the 
Gorojiu,  being  called  into  it  on  Perry’s  first  arrival,  but 
he  threw  up  his  office  in  the  latter  year,  disgusted  with 
what  he  considered  to  be  degradation  to  the  country,  the 
Shogun’s  weak  submission  to  the  demands  of  the 
foreigners.  Harris  had,  by  this  time,  arrived  at  Shimoda 
with  credentials  from  his  own  Government  to  reside  as 
their  representative  in  Japan,  and  he  demanded  the  right 
to  proceed  to  Yedo  and  there  present  his  credentials  in 
person  to  the  Shogun.  To  this  course  Nariaki  was 
bitterly  opposed,  so  much  so  that  he  advised  not  only 
that  the  members  of  the  Gorojiu  who  supported  it  should 
be  called  upon  to  commit  hara-kiri,  but  that  Harris  him- 
self should  be  decapitated,  and  from  the  time  of  his 
resignation  he  entered  into  secret  negotiations  with  the 
court  at  Kioto  with  the  view  of  inducing  the  willing 
Emperor  to  assert  his  prerogative  and  forbid  further  con- 
cessions to  the  foreigners.  After  Nariaki  resigned, 
Naosuke  became  the  leading  spirit  of  the  Bakufu,  and 
was  appointed  to  the  office  of  Tairo — Chief  Minister. 
Simultaneously,  the  question  of  the  succession  which  had 
long  been  pending  was  brought  to  the  front,  and  as  the 
Shogun  was  in  failing  health,  it  was  urgent  that  it  should 
be  settled  without  delay. 

There  were  two  candidates  for  the  Shogunate,  Hitotsu- 
bashi,1  Nariaki’s  own  son,  a young  Prince,  twenty  years 
of  age,  who  had  already  given  signs  of  great  ability, 

1 The  son  had  previously  been  adopted  into  the  Hitotsubashi  family. 
His  personal  name  was  Yoshinobu,  but  he  is  sometimes  spoken  of  as 
Keiki,  the  Sinico- Japanese  reading  of  the  characters  which  in  pure 
Japanese  are  read  as  Yoshinobu. 

Y 2 


324 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


and  Iyemochi,  the  still  younger  Prince  of  Ki.  Both 
were  relations  of  the  Shogun,  Iyemochi,  however,  in  the 
nearer  degree.  Nariaki  naturally  supported  the  claims 
of  his  son ; Naosuke,  on  the  other  hand,  favoured 
Iyemochi  and  carried  the  day.  Hardly  had  he  done  so, 
when  Iyesada  died  (August  15th,  1858),  and  Naosuke 
was  now  chief  minister  in  the  Government  of  a boy  only 
twelve  years  of  age,  and  was  therefore  de  facto  ruler  of 
the  Empire.  He  used  his  powder  with  vigour  against  his 
opponents.  Nariaki  was  ordered  to  confine  himself  to 
his  house,  and  the  Daimios,  who  had  now,  in  the  diffi- 
culties in  regard  to  the  opening  of  the  country,  been  for 
the  first  time  consulted  by  the  Bakufu,  who  were  opposed 
to  Naosuke’s  foreign  policy,  were  also  ordered  to  inter- 
fere no  more  in  public  affairs. 

The  sanction  of  the  Emperor  had  been  won  to  Perry’s 
treaty,  notwithstanding  his  hatred  to  foreigners.  Nariaki 
had,  however,  great  personal  influence  at  Kioto.  His 
wife  was  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  Imperial  princes; 
his  sons  were  married  to  daughters  of  nobles  of  the 
highest  rank  at  the  Emperor’s  Court,  and  his  intrigues 
were  successful  in  confirming  the  Emperor’s  antipathy 
to  any  extension  of  the  concessions  that  had  already  been 
made  to  foreigners.  His  consent  to  any  new  treaties 
was  firmly  refused.  Meanwhile,  Harris  was  vigorously 
pressing  for  the  signature  of  the  new  treaty,  and  the 
English  and  French  fleets  might  any  day  arrive  from 
China.  Naosuke  courageously  took  the  responsibility 
on  himself,  and,  knowing  that  it  was  hopeless  to  await 
the  Imperial  sanction,  that  meanwhile  the  Empire  was 
threatened  with  pressing  dangers,  concluded  the  Treaty 
with  Harris  and  a little  later  with  the  other  Great  Powers. 
On  the  1 st  of  July,  1859,  a h the  new  treaties  came  into 
force.  Sir  Rutherford  Alcock,  the  first  British  Minister 
to  Japan,  took  up  his  residence  in  Yedo  along  with 
American  and  French  colleagues,  while  European 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  325 


traders  came  in  large  numbers  to  Yokohama,  the  port 
which  was  assigned  as  the  seat  of  foreign  trade  and 
residence. 

The  beginning  of  commercial  intercourse  was 
shadowed  with  the  darkest  clouds.  The  experience 
which  the  Japanese  had  acquired  in  their  dealings  with 
the  subservient  Dutch  was  an  obstacle  rather  than  the 
reverse  to  the  successful  conduct  of  business  with  traders 
who  claimed  the  rights  of  equals ; who  were  all  com- 
peting with  each  other  to  gain  the  first  advantages  in  an 
entirely  new  field;  who  were  as  ignorant  of  Japanese 
spirit  and  customs  as  the  Japanese  were  of  them;  who, 
it  must  be  confessed,  were  imbued  with  ideas  of  con- 
temptuous superiority  to  Asiatics,  the  open  manifesta- 
tion of  which  filled  a high-spirited  people,  which 
regarded  itself  as  the  very  salt  of  the  earth,  with  horror 
and  indignation.  Many  of  the  new  traders,  an  over- 
whelming majority  of  whom  were  British  or  American, 
were  unscrupulous  adventurers,  ready  to  profit  by  the 
ignorance  and  inexperience  of  the  Japanese;  and  oppor- 
tunity made  the  better  class,  representatives  of  great  firms 
of  long  standing  and  high  reputation  in  China,  yield 
to  temptation  in  such  a way  as  to  leave  little  to  choose 
between  their  conduct  and  that  of  the  worst  types  of  the 
former  class.  On  the  other  side,  the  Japanese,  forced 
to  enter  into  trade  relations  in  violation  of  all  their 
national  traditions;  despising  the  foreigners,  both  from 
the  facts  that  they  were  foreigners  and  that  they  were 
following  what,  in  the  Japanese  ideal,  was  the  most 
degrading  of  all  occupations,  that  of  trade,  and  dread- 
ing them  at  the  same  time,  thinking  that  if  they  made 
trade  both  difficult  and  unprofitable,  the  foreigners 
might  in  the  end  quit  the  country  in  disgust,  placed 
every  impediment  that  their  ingenuity  could  devise  in 
the  way  of  the  smooth  working  of  the  Treaties  or  the 
Trade  Regulations  that  were  attached  to  them,  and 


326 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


systematically  endeavoured  to  render  both  fruitless. 
And  if  some  of  the  European  traders  who  flocked  to 
the  new  port  were  dishonest  and  unscrupulous  adven- 
turers, they  soon  found  that  they  were  out-Heroded  in 
their  worst  qualities  not  by  some,  but  by  all  the  Japanese 
with  whom  they  could  deal.  There  were  plenty  of  old 
and  historic  commercial  houses  in  Japan  with  long  and 
unblemished  records  of  their  upright  dealing  with  their 
own  countrymen,  and  if  the  principals  or  representatives 
of  these  houses  had  been  encouraged,  or  had  had  the 
enterprise  to  adapt  themselves  to  the  new  order  of  affairs 
and  bring  their  wealth  and  sense  of  honour  on  to  the 
new  field  that  was  open  to  them,  many  of  the  difficulties 
that  beset  the  early  days  of  commercial  intercourse  would 
never  have  occurred,  and  Japan  might  have  been  saved 
from  the  unsavoury  reputation  of  commercial  dishonesty 
which  clings  to  it  to  this  day.  Unfortunately,  all  pre- 
ferred to  adhere  to  their  long-established  businesses  and 
declined  to  enter  upon  unknown  paths  and  speculative 
experiments.  The  result  was  that  the  native  traders, 
who  came  to  Yokohama,  were  the  lowest  of  the  low, 
equally  dishonest  and  cunning,  without  either  capital 
or  reputation.  “They  were,”  Sir  Rutherford  Alcock 
said,  with  his  long  experience  of  the  East, 

“among  the  most  dishonest  and  tricky  of  Easterners.  The 
incessant  examples  of  the  most  ingenious  and  deliberate 
fraud  which  they  give  leaves  no  doubt  on  the  subject.  Bales 
of  silk  are  continually  sold  with  outward  hanks  of  one 
quality  and  the  inner  ones  of  coarser  material,  most  craftily 
interwoven.  Jars  of  camphor  with  the  top  only  the  genuine 
article  and  the  rest  powdered  rice.  Tubs  of  oil,  the  lower 
half  water.  Money  taken  for  contracts  immediately  appro- 
priated to  their  own  use  and  unblushingly  confiscated. 
They  were  pre-eminent  in  ingenuity  and  universality  of 
cheating.” 

These  men  were  the  fathers  and  grandfathers  of  many 
who  are  now  millionaires ; who  from  the  first  have 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  327 


absorbed  the  whole  foreign  trade  of  Japan  and  retained 
it  to  this  day. 

One  incident  in  the  story  of  the  beginning  of  Japan’s 
foreign  trade  is  still  often  told  to  the  alleged  dishonour 
of  the  Europeans  who  profited  by  it.  A provision  in 
the  Trade  Regulations  appended  to  the  Treaty  was  that, 
to  facilitate  trade  transactions,  the  Japanese  authorities 
should  change  foreign  bullion,  weight  for  weight,  for 
the  native  current  coin.  The  ratio  in  the  relative  values 
of  gold  and  silver  in  the  world  was  then  fifteen  to  one. 
In  Japan,  where  gold  was  relatively  far  more  abundant 
than  silver,  the  ratio  in  the  days  of  her  seclusion  was 
three  to  one,  and  this  ratio  still  existed  when  the  first 
foreign  traders  arrived  in  1859.  They  were  not  slow  to 
realize  the  wondrous  opportunity  that  was  before  them. 
They  could  buy  silver  in  abundance  in  China,  distant 
only  a week’s  steaming,  change  it  into  current  silver 
coin  in  Japan,  and  with  this  coin  buy  one-third  of  its 
weight  in  gold.  To  give  a concrete  illustration,  with 
silver  that  cost  less  than  six  shillings  in  China  they 
could  buy  in  Japan  gold  that  could  subsequently  be  sold 
in  China  for  eighteen  shillings.  With  a certain  profit  of 
200  per  cent,  before  their  eyes  on  one  transaction,  with 
the  possibility  of  repeating  that  transaction  as  often  as 
they  could  find  steamers  to  transport  the  bullion  to  and 
from  China,  is  it  any  wonder  that  human  nature  gave 
way,  and  that  the  newly  arrived  European  merchants 
devoted  themselves  not  to  the  ordinary  operations  of 
commerce,  but  to  those  of  traders  in  the  precious 
metals?  The  Japanese  saw  their  country  was  being 
rapidly  denuded  of  the  whole  of  its  gold,  and  their  local 
officials  were  daily  besieged  by  crowds  of  foreigners,  all 
bringing  silver  and  demanding  its  immediate  exchange 
for  current  coin.  The  local  authorities  tried  to  cause 
delay  by  insisting  that  signed  applications  for  exchange 
should  be  made  in  writing.  The  demands  still  poured 


328 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


in  on  them.  Wholly  incapable  of  satisfying  these 
demands,  they  notified  that  they  could  only  meet  them 
pro  rata,  that  only  a certain  percentage  of  each  would 
be  met.  Immediately  the  demands  rose  to  billions  and 
trillions,  signed  by  fictitious  names — Tearem  and 
Scratchem,  John  Snooks  and  a host  of  others  equally 
insulting.  It  was  not  only  merchants  whom  the  mania 
seized.  An  American  frigate  came  into  port,  the  frigate 
that  was  specially  sent  by  the  United  States  to  convey 
to  California  an  embassy  that  the  minister,  Harris,  had, 
with  great  difficulty,  persuaded  the  Japanese  to  send  to 
his  Government  to  formally  return  Perry’s  visit.  One 
officer  immediately  resigned  his  commission,  chartered 
a ship  and  started  a firm.  The  applications  of  the  rest 
of  the  officers  were,  as  coming  from  officers  and  not 
from  the  despised  traders,  treated  with  special  favour  by 
the  Japanese  authorities  and  honoured  at  once,  and  the 
result  was  that  all  the  officers  became  as  eager  brokers  in 
exchange  as  were  the  worst  of  the  merchants  on  whom  so 
much  odium  has  been  cast,  whose  legitimate  province 
it  was  to  profit  by  the  chance  that  fortune  had  given  to 
them.  At  last,  driven  almost  to  distraction,  the,  Japanese 
took  the  only  step  that  was  open  to  them.  The  Treaties 
provided  for  the  free  and  unrestrained  export  of  gold, 
and  the  foreign  Powers  insisted  on  its  observance  in  all 
its  clauses.  So  the  export  could  not  be  prevented  by  law, 
as  might  have  been  done  in  any  country  unhampered 
by  conventions.  Nothing  was  left  but  to  alter  the 
domestic  ratio  in  the  values  of  gold  and  silver  and  risk 
the  consequences  of  the  sudden  derangement  in  domestic 
finance  and  economy.  The  step  was  taken  and  the  export 
of  gold  stopped,  but  not  before  millions  had  been  taken 
out  of  the  country.  The  Japanese  were  left  with  the 
conviction  that  they  had  been  spoiled,  the  national  hatred 
of  foreigners  and  commercial  intercourse  was  intensified, 
and  the  best  classes  of  their  traders  were  confirmed  in 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  329 


their  resolution  that  contact  with  the  European  robbers 
could  only  mean  degradation  and  loss  to  themselves. 

Foreign  affairs  were  sufficiently  difficult  to  tax  the 
ability  to  the  utmost  of  a Government  secure  in  the  con- 
fidence of  a united  people.  But  the  Shogun’s  Govern- 
ment had  to  face  still  greater  difficulties  in  the  united 
antagonism  of  a large  and  powerful  section  of  their  own 
people,  incited  by  able  leaders,  and  the  disapproval  of 
what  they  had  done  by  the  legitimate  sovereign,  to  whom 
they  owed  both  allegiance  and  theoretical  obedience. 
The  sanction  of  the  Mikado  to  Perry’s  Treaty  had  been 
won  with  difficulty,  but  it  had  been  won.  He  forced 
himself  to  recognize  that  it  was  unavoidable.  He  wholly 
disapproved  of  the  new  and  extended  treaties  giving  the 
right  to  foreigners  to  reside  in  the  Empire,  and  he  con- 
sidered the  signing  of  those  treaties  without  his  consent 
an  outrage  on  his  prerogative.  When  domestic  broils 
were  all  at  their  worst,  the  only  man  capable  of  settling 
them  by  his  personal  influence  and  ability,  the  one  who, 
seeing  the  necessity  of  yielding  to  the  foreigners’ 
demands,  had  the  courage  to  face  the  situation  boldly, 
despite  alike  of  conservative  Emperor  and  people,  fell 
beneath  assassins’  hands.  On  the  morning  of  the  24th 
of  March,  i860,  all  the  members  of  the  Government  were 
obliged  to  present  themselves  at  the  Shogun’s  Court, 
the  day  being  a festival  of  the  Tokugawa  family.  Ii 
Naosuke,  among  others,  left  his  mansion  for  the  purpose. 
Spring  has  generally  well  opened  in  Japan  by  that  date 
and  begun  to  display  all  the  natural  beauties  that  are 
characteristic  of  the  season,  but  on  this  day  it  happened 
that  snow  fell  heavily  and  everything  was  buried  in  a 
deep  white  mantle.  The  usual  escort  of  his  vassals 
accompanied  their  lord’s  palanquin,  but  they  were 
covered  with  raincoats  which  made  their  swords  not 
easily  available,  and  they  were  blinded  by  the  snow 
which  stiil  continued  to  fall  heavily.  As  they  entered 


330 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


the  Sakurada  gate  of  the  castle,  they  were  suddenly  beset 
by  twenty  Samurai ; many  of  the  escort,  encumbered 
and  blinded,  were  cut  down  without  being  able  to  strike 
a blow  in  return,  and  when  the  rest  recovered  from  their 
surprise,  they  found  the  headless  corpse  of  their  lord 
lying  outside  his  palanquin.1  The  assassins  were  Mito 
Samurai,  who  had  become  ronin  and  taken  this  means 
to  avenge  the  humiliation  imposed  on  their  own  lord, 
the  disregard  of  the  Mikado’s  prerogative,  and  the 
contamination  of  their  country.  Nariaki  did  not  long 
survive  his  great  enemy.  He  died  within  six  months. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  describe  in  a work  of  this 
nature  the  details  of  the  long  political  controversies  that 
ensued  between  the  advocates  of  foreign  intercourse  on 
the  one  side,  and  its  opponents  on  the  other,  after 
Naosuke’s  death,  nor  need  it  be  related  how  controversy 
developed  into  hostilities  and  civil  war  again  occurred 
in  Japan  after  an  unbroken  peace  of  230  years,  and  we 
will  confine  ourselves  to  those  incidents  in  which 
Europeans  had  a direct  share.  Murderous  assaults  had 
continued  not  only  on  individual  Europeans,  but  twice 
the  British  Legation  in  Tokio  was  attacked  at  midnight 
by  bands  of  fanatics  with  the  object  of  murdering  the 
minister  and  all  his  staff,  and  though  the  attacks  were 
beaten  off  by  combined  English  and  Japanese  guards,  it 
was  not  without  loss  of  life.  In  1862  another  murder 
occurred  which  was  destined  to  have  far-reaching  con- 
sequences. 

On  a September  afternoon  a party,  consisting  of  one 

1 At  the  time  of  his  death,  there  was  no  one  so  universally  hated  in 
Japan  by  the  Emperor,  Court,  and  all  the  conservative  princes  and 
their  retainers,  for  having  yielded  to  the  demands  of  Europeans  to 
open  the  country ; and  by  the  lower  classes  for  the  losses  they  had 
suffered  by  the  great  increase  of  prices  and  the  financial  confusion 
that  followed  the  alteration  of  the  ratio  of  gold  and  silver  values.  In 
1909  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  opening  of  Yokohama  to  foreign 
trade  was  celebrated  with  great  ceremony  and  enthusiasm,  and  part  of 
the  celebration  was  the  unveiling  of  a majestic  statue  of  Ii  Naosuke. 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  331 


lady  and  three  English  merchants  from  Y okohama,  started 
for  a ride  in  the  direction  of  Yedo,  on  the  great  high- 
road of  Central  Japan,  which  passes  just  outside  of 
Yokohama.  During  their  ride  they  met  with  the  pro- 
cession, composed  of  fully  Soo  armed  Samurai,  of  the 
Chief  Dignitary  of  the  Satsuma  fief,  who  had  just  left 
the  capital  on  his  return  journey  to  his  own  province. 
Japanese  customs  required  that  the  road  should  be 
cleared  before  this  procession,  and  that  all  travellers 
should  make  way  for  it.  The  foreigners  drew  up  their 
horses  to  one  side  of  the  road,  not,  however,  dismount- 
ing, as  a Japanese  would  have  been  required  to  do,  and 
waited  quietly  till  the  procession  passed.  “Suddenly  a 
man  in  the  centre  of  the  procession  threw  the  upper  part 
of  his  clothes  off  his  shoulders,  leaving  himself  naked  to 
the  waist,  and  drawing  his  sword,  which  he  swung  with 
both  hands,  rushed  upon  the  little  party  of  unarmed 
foreigners;”  others  of  the  procession  joined  him,  and 
though  the  foreigners  took  to  instant  flight,  one  fell  dead 
on  the  roadside  from  terrible  wounds.  The  two  other 
male  members  of  the  party  were  also  severely  wounded, 
while  the  lady,  though  her  hat  was  cut  away  by  a sword 
aimed  at  her  head,  escaped  uninjured.  It  must  be  stated 
that  the  Japanese,  in  their  ignorance  of  foreign  dress, 
in  the  absence  of  any  idea  that  a woman  would  be  found 
on  horseback  (Japanese  ladies  do  not  ride  even  at  the 
present  day),  had  no  idea  of  the  lady’s  sex  when  she  was 
assaulted  in  common  with  her  companions. 

Reparation  was  at  once  demanded  by  the  British 
Government  for  this  outrage;  the  usual  apology  and 
indemnity  and  the  punishment  of  the  murderers.  The 
indemnity  was  paid  and  the  apology  given,  but  the 
Shogun’s  Government  professed  their  utter  inability  to 
enforce  the  final  condition  on  the  most  powerful  clan  in 
the  Empire,  the  territories  of  which  were  far  remote  from 
their  own  sphere  of  active  influence,  equally  inaccessible 


332 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JArAN 


by  land  or  sea.  They  endeavoured  to  induce  the  Lord 
of  Satsuma  to  give  up  the  murderer,  but  he  replied,  as 
haughtily  as  his  ancestor  had  done  to  Hideyoshi,  “The 
English  insulted  me,  and  for  so  doing  were  simply 
punished  by  my  escort.  But  if  the  English  desire  to 
get  hold  of  me,  let  it  be  decided  by  an  appeal  to  arms.” 
Great  Britain  accepted  the  challenge,  and  determined  to 
undertake  the  task  herself.  A fleet  of  seven  ships  of  war 
accordingly  sailed  for  Kagoshima,  the  capital  town  of 
the  fief,  and  on  the  13th  of  August,  1863,  the  forts  by 
which  it  was  protected  were  bombarded,  the  batteries 
cleared,  the  magazines  and  arsenals  and  a great  part  of 
the  town  destroyed,  not  without  considerable  loss  on  the 
part  of  the  assailants.  In  the  evening  a heavy  gale 
sprung  up,  and  the  British  ships  withdrew,  some  of  the 
forts  still  firing  as  they  did  so.  The  object  of  the 
expedition  was  not  attained,  and  to  this  day  the  Japanese, 
notwithstanding  the  heavy  loss  they  suffered,  both  in  life 
and  in  the  destruction  of  property,  claim  as  the  result 
of  the  action  a victory  over  the  British  fleet. 

The  two  most  powerful  clans  in  the  Empire  were  those 
of  Satsuma  and  Choshiu.  Both  were  equally  opposed 
to  foreign  intercourse,  and  both  were  equally  among  the 
leaders  of  the  national  revolutionary  movement  against 
the  Shogun.  One  principle  was  easily  made  ancillary 
to  the  other.  Outrages  on  foreigners  complicated  the 
Shogun’s  relations  with  the  foreign  representatives  at 
the  capital,  and  gave  the  latter  the  right  to  demand 
reparation  which  the  Shogun  could  not  refuse,  but  the 
grant  of  which  seemed  to  lower  his  prestige  still  further 
in  the  eyes  of  his  countrymen.  The  Satsuma  clan  had, 
in  this  case,  brought  a heavy  penalty  on  themselves,  but 
it  taught  them  a valuable  lesson- — that  the  project  of  ever 
being  able  to  expel  foreigners  by  force  was  hopeless, 
unless  a great  change  took  place  in  the  material  resources 
of  Japan,  unless  Japan  acquired  a full  knowledge  of  the 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  333 


foreign  military  methods  and  weapons  which  were  so 
much  superior  to  her  own.  A similar  lesson  with 
similar  results  was  soon  afterwards  given  to  Choshiu. 
In  the  case  of  Satsuma,  Great  Britain  was  the  only 
injured  party,  and  the  lesson  was  therefore  given  by  her 
alone.  In  that  of  Choshiu,  Great  Britain  played  the 
chief  part,  but  she  had  the  moral  and  physical  co-opera- 
tion of  France,  Holland  and  the  United  States. 

The  Imperial  Court  of  Kioto,  throughout  the  whole  of 
the  years  1862  and  1863,  had  been  strongly  urging  the 
duty  of  expelling  foreigners  both  on  the  unwilling 
members  of  the  Shogun’s  Government  and  on  the 
sympathetic  feudal  princes.  Edict  followed  on  edict  in 
rapid  succession  from  the  Court,  all  in  the  same  strain, 
“Expel  the  despised  foreigner,  and  purify  the  Land  of 
the  Gods,”  and,  finally,  one  appeared  specifically  fixing 
the  25th  of  June,  1863,  as  the  date  on  which  active 
measures  should  be  initiated  for  carrying  out  the  Em- 
peror’s wishes.  This  edict  was  communicated  to  all  the 
princes,  among  others  to  the  Prince  of  Choshiu.  The 
Straits  of  Shimonoseki  constitute  the  western  entrance 
to  the  Inland  Sea,  and  the  Choshiu  territories  lay  along 
their  entire  northern  shore.  The  Mikado’s  edict  was 
cordially  received  by  the  Prince  as  a command  that  was 
not  to  be  disobeyed,  and  on  the  very  day  named  in  it  an 
opportunity  was  given  to  him  of  putting  it  in  practice. 
An  American  merchant  steamer  passed  through  the 
Straits,  and  was  fired  upon  by  the  batteries,  but  she 
escaped  without  injury.  A few  days  later  a French  gun- 
boat and  a Dutch  corvette  were  also  fired  upon,  in  both 
cases  suffering  some  loss.  The  insult  to  the  American 
and  French  flags  was  promptly  revenged  by  ships  of  war, 
which  proceeded  to  the  spot  and  shelled  the  batteries, 
and  the  Dutch  corvette  at  the  time  gave  back  as  much  as 
she  got;  but  the  batteries  remained  effective,  and  the 
feudatory  determined  to  use  them  whenever  occasion 


334 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


arose.  The  passage  of  the  Straits,  and  consequently  of 
the  whole  Inland  Sea,  the  high  sea-road  from  Yokohama 
to  Shanghai,  thus  remained  closed  to  all  foreign  mer- 
chant ships  trading  between  the  two  places.  These  ships 
were  at  that  time  almost  exclusively  English,  and  Eng- 
lish interests  were  therefore  most  materially  affected  by 
the  closing  of  the  Straits. 

All  the  four  Powers  joined  with  absolute  unanimity 
in  pressing  on  the  recognized  Government,  that  of  the 
Shogunate,  the  only  one  with  which  they  were  in  com- 
munication, its  duty  of  at  once  reducing  the  truculent 
Prince  to  submission.  But,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Satsuma 
clan  a year  previously,  the  Government  was  powerless. 
It  could  only  remonstrate,  and  its  remonstrances  were 
treated  with  absolute  contempt,  even  the  envoy  who 
carried  them  to  the  clan  being  ruthlessly  put  to  death. 
It  had  no  fleet  and  no  transports.  After  more  than  a 
year  of  fruitless  diplomatic  negotiations,  the  Powers 
determined,  as  England  alone  had  done  in  the  case  of 
Satsuma,  to  take  the  matter  into  their  own  hands.  A 
combined  fleet,  in  which  the  British  ships  enormously 
preponderated,  was  sent  to  the  spot,  and  on  the  5th  of 
September,  1864,  all  the  forts  were  bombarded,  and  their 
total  demolition  completed  on  the  following  day  by  a 
large  force  which  was  landed.  Both  at  Kagoshima  and 
Shimonoseki,  the  Japanese  gunners,  though  exposed  to 
the  concentrated  fire  of  artillery  far  heavier  than  their 
own,  and  suffering  severe  losses,  stood  to  their  guns 
manfully,  and  time  after  time,  when  their  batteries  were 
cleared,  resumed  their  stations  and  reopened  fire.  The 
allied  landing  force  at  Shimonoseki  also  met  with  a 
severe  resistance,  and  suffered  considerable  loss. 

The  result  of  the  operations  was  that  the  Prince  was 
at  last  reduced  to  unconditional  submission,  not  to  his 
own  de  facto  Government,  against  which  he  continued 
hostilities  till  its  fall,  four  years  later,  but  to  foreign 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  335 


Powers.  He  promised  not  only  that  the  navigation  of 
the  Straits  should  be  henceforth  free,  but  that  ships 
should  be  allowed  to  coal  and  purchase  provisions ; that 
the  dismantled  forts  should  not  be  repaired  nor  rearmed, 
and  that  no  new  ones  should  be  built. 

The  objects  of  the  Powers  were  accomplished,  and  had 
the  matter  terminated  at  this  stage,  not  a vestige  of  a 
stain  would  have  been  left  behind.  But,  in  addition  to 
his  other  undertakings,  the  Prince  also  promised  that  he 
would  pay  both  a ransom  for  his  town,  which  had  been 
spared  in  the  bombardment,  and  the  expenses  of  the 
expedition.  For  reasons  which  it  is  now  difficult  to 
fathom,  this  obligation  was  transferred  by  the  diplomatic 
representatives  of  the  Powers  to  the  Shogun’s  Govern- 
ment, which  was  called  upon,  when  distracted  by  internal 
difficulties,  with  a depleted  treasury,  to  pay  an  indemnity 
of  three  million  dollars  (^,650,000),  a very  large  sum  for 
the  Japan  of  those  days.  Time  was  given  for  the  pay- 
ment, the  last  instalment,  indeed,  was  only  finally  paid 
by  the  Emperor’s  Government  in  1875,  long  after  that  of 
the  Shogun  had  ceased  to  exist,  and  the  Choshiu  fief  had 
lost  all  its  independence  and  been  merged  in  the 
Empire;  but  this  indulgence  continued  until  the  final 
payment  to  be  used  as  a thumb-screw  for  extorting 
diplomatic  concessions  from  the  Government  of  Japan, 
both  that  of  the  Shogun  and  of  the  Emperor.  The  posi- 
tion of  the  United  States  Government  in  the  matter  was 
somewhat  different  to  that  of  other  Powers.  The  in- 
demnity was  apportioned  equally  among  the  four.  The 
bombardment  took  place  while  the  American  Civil  War 
was  still  in  progress,  and  the  Alabama  on  the  high  seas. 
The  United  States  fleet  had  therefore  other  occupations 
in  abundance  than  that  of  vindicating  the  rights  of  the 
flag  against  a small  section  of  an  insignificant  and  little- 
known  people  in  the  Far  East,  and  at  Shimonoseki  it 
was  only  represented  by  a chartered  merchant  steamer 


336 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


manned  by  a score  of  blue-jackets.  America  therefore 
incurred  no  expense  in  the  expedition,  while  that  in- 
curred by  the  three  other  Powers,  England  above  all, 
was  considerable,  but  not  even  in  the  case  of  England 
amounting  to  her  share  in  the  indemnity.  The  United 
States  had  therefore  more  reason  than  the  others  for  the 
tardy  awakening  of  conscience  which  she  displayed 
years  later,  when  she  returned  her  entire  share  in  the 
indemnity. 

The  spirit  of  the  Court  at  this  period  may  be  esti- 
mated from  the  fact  that  the  Emperor  gave  his  highest 
praise  to  both  Satsuma  and  Choshiu  for  their  heroic 
conduct. 

In  September  1866  the  Shogun  whose  succession  had 
been  the  cause  of  the  bitter  quarrel  between  Nariaki  and 
Naosuke,  died,  and  Hitotsubashi,  who  had  been  dis- 
carded in  1857,  was  chosen  to  succeed  him.  Within 
six  months,  the  Emperor  Komei,  the  inveterate  oppo- 
nent to  foreign  intercourse,  also  died  (February  3,  1867), 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  the  present  Emperor, 
Mutsuhito,  then  a boy  of  fifteen  years  of  age.  The 
agitation  against  the  Shogunate  continued,  still  accom- 
panied by  the  old  cry,  “Expel  the  foreigners,”1  and  as 
it  was  now  fully  realized  that  a nation  divided  against 
itself,  under  two  conflicting  Governments,  could  not  hope 
either  to  attain  this  object  or  protect  itself  against  out- 
ward aggression  on  the  part  of  foes  incomparably  better 
armed  and  organized  than  the  Japanese,  the  movement 
for  the  return  to  the  ancient  system  of  government  by 
the  Emperor  grew  in  strength  and  influence.  Memorials 
were  addressed  to  the  Shogun  by  several  of  the  greatest 
Daimios,  urging  him,  as  the  only  means  to  attain  that 
end,  to  resign  his  office,  and  feeling  the  helplessness  of 
his  position,  unable  either  to  coerce  the  Daimios  who 

1 The  terms  that  were  used  to  describe  Europeans,  even  in  Court 
notifications,  before  Komei’s  death  were  “ the  ugly  ” or  “ the  red-haired 
barbarians.” 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  837 


were  plotting  for  his  fall,  or  to  carry  out  the  engage- 
ments he  had  made  with  foreign  Powers,  he  at  last 
accepted  the  advice  that  was  given  to  him,  and  in 
November,  1867,  he  formally  handed  over  to  the 
Emperor  the  administration  of  the  Government  which 
he  had  held  for  only  a few  months  with  constant  heart- 
burnings and  vexations.  Thus  came  to  an  end  on  one 
day  not  only  the  Tokugawa  Shogunate,  which  had  lasted 
in  regal  splendour  and  despotic  power  for  260  years,  but 
the  dual  system  of  government,  which  was  first  estab- 
lished by  Yoritomo  in  the  twelfth  century,  and  the 
Emperor  was  once  more  vested  with  the  control  of  the 
Empire  that  theoretically  belonged  to  him  ever  since  its 
foundation. 

For  a while  it  seemed  that  the  final  step  in  the  great 
revolution  would  be  peacefully  accomplished,  and  that 
the  chief  of  the  Tokugawas,  having  bowed  to  the  times 
and  yielded  to  the  superior  forces  which  were  arrayed 
against  him,  his  adherents  would  accept  and  be  guided 
by  his  decision,  and  in  their  patriotism  submit  to  the 
loss  of  their  old  privileges,  and  recognize  the  new 
Government.  But  this  was  not  to  be.  Kioto,  at  the 
time  of  the  Shogun’s  resignation,  was  guarded  by  the 
Aidzu  clan,  one  of  the  most  devoted  to  the  Tokugawa. 
They  were  ordered  to  give  up  their  charge  to  the  allied 
Samurai  of  Satsuma,  Choshiu,  Tosa,  and  other  great 
clans,  who  were  waiting  within  a little  distance  of  Kioto, 
and  when  they  had  done  so,  when  the  allied  clans 
became  the  guardians  of  the  Emperor  and  were  re- 
sponsible for  the  safety  of  the  “Sacred  Person,”  they, 
as  such  guardians,  became  the  legal  Government 
according  to  the  ancient  Constitution.  They  were 
“Kwangun,”  the  Imperial  and  loyal  army.  Along  with 
the  Shogun,  the  Aidzu  clan  retired  to  Osaka,  burning 
with  indignation  and  resentment,  and  there  all  the 
adherents  of  the  Tokugawas  soon  gathered;  all  bitter 


338 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


at  the  downfall  of  the  ancient  house  from  its  old 
grandeur  and  power;  all  still  confident  in  their  old 
prestige  and  skill  at  arms;  all  determined  not  to  give  up 
for  ever  the  power  they  had  so  long  held  without  one 
final  struggle.  Satsuma  had  been  the  prime  instigator 
of  the  movement  which  had  brought  about  their  fall,  and 
there  was  a Satsuma  Yashiki 1 in  Osaka.  It  was  taken 
and  burnt,  and  the  defenders,  a mere  handful,  all  killed 
by  the  angry  Tokugawas,  and  then  their  whole  force, 
of  more  than  30,000 2 fighting  men,  marched  on  Kioto 
to  attack  the  Satsuma  army  that  was  in  the  capital.  By 
thus  attacking  the  guardians  of  the  Emperor,  they 
became  Choteki,  rebels  who  were  lifting  sacrilegious 
hands  against  the  Emperor  himself.  They  could  have 
crushed  Satsuma  had  Satsuma  been  their  only  enemy, 
but  the  Satsuma  clansmen  were  not  alone.  Choshiu  and 
other  clans  were  at  their  side,  and  they  met,  with  all 
their  combined  force,  the  advancing  Tokugawas  at 
Fushimi,  seven  miles  outside  Kioto.  In  the  Gem-Pei 
War,  the  Taira,  enervated  by  ease  and  luxury  at  Kioto, 
were  invariably  beaten  by  the  hardy  warriors  from  the 
Eastern  Provinces,  trained  in  the  roughest  schools  of 
hardship  and  self-denial.  Now  the  conditions  were 
reversed.  It  was  the  Easterners  who  had  degenerated 
in  the  ease  and  luxury  of  Yedo,  while  the  Southern 
clans,  accustomed  to  rural  life,  were  possessed  of  greater 
physical  strength,  vigour  and  endurance.  The  battle 
which  took  place  lasted  for  three  days,  and  as  it  was 
bitterly  fought,  the  loss  on  both  sides  was  heavy.  Once 
more  treachery  played  its  part,  as  it  had  done  at  Dan 
no  Ura  and  Seki  ga  hara.  The  Samurai  of  the  Tsu  clan, 
a powerful  clan  from  the  province  of  Ise,  whose  chief, 

1 “Yashiki” — spread  house — was  the  common  term  for  the  urban 
residence  of  a Daimio.  It  included  both  his  own  palace,  the  apart- 
ments of  his  officials,  and  the  barracks  of  his  armed  retainers. 

2 This  is  the  number  given  in  Japanese  histories,  but  Europeans, 
who  were  on  the  spot  at  the  time,  say  that  it  is  greatly  exaggerated. 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  339 


Todo,  was  descended  from  one  of  Iyeyasu’s  greatest 
allies,  who  was  rewarded  by  Iyeyasu  with  territorial 
grants  according  to  his  merits,  were  trusted  implicitly 
by  the  Tokugawas  and  were  posted  on  their  left  flank, 
the  maintenance  of  that  position  being  entirely  left  to 
them.  On  the  night  of  the  second  day  of  the  battle, 
they  abandoned  their  post  and  passed  over  to  the 
Emperor’s  side,  leaving  the  whole  of  the  left  flank  of  the 
Tokugawas  exposed.  The  latter  knew  nothing  of  the 
treachery,  and  when  on  the  following  morning  they 
found  their  enemies  pouring  down  on  them  from  the 
quarter  where  they  thought  they  were  absolutely  secure, 
panic  seized  them  and  they  fled  in  headlong  rout. 
Victors  and  vanquished  entered  Osaka  almost  together, 
and  the  Shogun,  who  had  there  awaited  the  result  of  the 
battle,  took  refuge  first  on  board  a United  States  man-of- 
war  and  then  on  one  of  his  own  ships,  and  in  her  made 
his  escape  to  his  home  in  Yedo.  The  officers  of  the 
United  States  ship  were  ignorant  of  the  personality  of 
the  guest  they  had  entertained.  His  clansmen  and  all 
their  allies,  broken  by  their  defeat,  dispersed,  and  sought 
shelter  wherever  it  could  be  found  in  the  country.  Their 
last  act,  as  they  fled  from  Osaka,  was  one  worthy  of  the 
Communists  of  Paris.  They  set  fire  to  the  great  palace 
within  the  castle  walls  where  Hideyoshi  had  lived,  and 
the  whole  of  the  most  magnificent  palace  that  had  ever 
been  erected  in  Japan,  rich  in  the  greatest  treasures  of 
art,  was  destroyed.  The  battle  of  Fushimi  may  be 
called  the  fifth  decisive  battle  of  Japan.  The  forces  and 
the  dead  on  both  sides  were  incomparably  less  than  in 
the  previous  great  struggles,  but  the  results  were  greater. 
The  previous  battles  had,  in  each  instance,  only  con- 
solidated the  authority  and  power  of  a usurper,  and 
subjected  the  nation  to  the  tyranny  of  a dictator  whose 
sole  claim  was  founded  on  might;  who  either  in  himself 

or  his  descendants  could  only  hope  to  retain  his  power 
z 2 


340 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


so  long  as  it  was  supported  by  the  military  strength  that 
won  it;  whose  dynasty  could  never  win  the  united  and 
loyal  affection  of  the  Empire;  who  could  only  rule  by 
fear. 

Fushimi  revived  the  long  dormant  authority  of  the 
throne,  and  gave  the  first  dawn  of  hope  that  the  unity 
of  the  Empire  might  be  accomplished  and  founded  no 
longer  on  fear  but  on  patriotic  reverence  for  a legitimate 
sovereign,  that  it  would  enable  Japan  to  present  to  the 
world  the  front  of  a people  bound  together  in  harmony 
by  their  loyalty  to  their  Emperor. 

The  battle  of  Fushimi  was  fought  from  the  28th  to 
the  30th  of  January,  1868.  On  the  1st  of  January  in  the 
same  year,  the  ports  of  Kobe  and  Osaka  were  formally 
opened  to  foreigners  and  foreign  trade  under  the  pro- 
visions of  the  treaties.  This  opening  had  been  long 
delayed,  and  had  been  a sore  point  with  the  Emperor 
Komei,  and  it  was  only  by  the  persistence  of  the  Foreign 
Representatives,  headed  by  the  British  Minister,  Sir 
Harry  Parkes,  a man  of  the  most  irresistible  energy  and 
overbearing  strength  of  character,  who  had  succeeded 
Sir  Rutherford  Alcock  in  1864,  that  the  Shogun’s 
Government,  in  its  dying  agonies,  had  been  induced  to 
carry  out  its  obligations  in  this  particular  respect.  The 
opening  of  the  great  historic  commercial  city  in  the 
immediate  neighbourhood  of  the  sacred  capital,  the 
home  of  the  mysterious  and  divine  Emperor,  was  re- 
garded as  so  important  an  event,  as  well  as  a triumph 
of  Western  diplomacy  over  the  haughtiest  and  most 
rigid  Japanese  conservatism,  that  all  the  Foreign  diplo- 
matic representatives  left  their  Legations  in  Yedo,  and 
with  a large  fleet  came  to  Osaka  to  give  its  opening  the 
eclat  of  their  presence.  All,  with  large  staffs,  were 
temporarily  residing  in  Osaka  when  the  flying  Toku- 
gawas  entered  it  after  the  battle,  with  their  conquerors 
fast  on  their  heels.  The  Shogun,  before  his  flight,  sent 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  341 


hasty  word  to  the  Representatives  that  he  could  no  longer 
be  responsible  for  their  safety,  and  they  had  all  to  make 
a somewhat  undignified  move  to  Kobe,  and  there  find 
such  accommodation  as  they  could  in  the  little  fishing 
village  which  has  since  become  the  greatest  seat  of  trade 
in  all  the  Far  East.  The  Shogun’s  officials,  wffio  were 
in  charge  of  the  new  local  Government  at  Kobe,  all 
followed  their  master’s  example  and  forsook  their  posts. 
The  beaten  and  fugitive  soldiers  were  wandering  every- 
where, and  it  was  quite  possible,  even  probable,  that 
they  would  follow  the  example  previously  given'  them  by 
the  enemies  of  the  Tokugawas  and  involve  the  young 
Government  of  the  Emperor  in  new  and  serious  com- 
plications by  a general  massacre  of  foreigners.  One 
incident  did  occur,  which  at  the  moment  seemed 
ominous,  but  the  investigation  which  was  made  of  all 
its  incidents  in  subsequent  cooler  moments  shows  that  it 
is  not  one  over  which  Europeans  can  now  feel  pride.  A 
detachment  of  Samurai  of  the  Bizen  clan  escorting  the 
Karo,  the  chief  councillor  of  the  Prince,  passed  Kobe 
on  their  way  to  Kioto  to  join  the  loyal  party.  A French 
marine  broke  the  line  of  their  procession,  a gross  insult 
in  the  eyes  of  a Japanese  Samurai,  and  though  an 
attempt  was  made  to  stop  him,  he  persisted  in  passing 
through  it.  He  received  a lance-prick  for  his  pains,  and 
he  and  his  comrades,  one  of  whom  was  also  slightly 
wounded,  then  ran  away.  The  Japanese  followed  them 
with  a desultory  rifle  fire  which  did  no  harm,  but  an 
extraordinary  panic  seems  to  have  then  seized  the  whole 
of  the  residents  in  the  new  Foreign  settlement  in  the 
direction  of  which  the  fire  went.  Large  forces  were  im- 
mediately landed  from  the  great  fleet  of  men-of-war  of 
all  Western  nationalities  that  lay  in  the  offing,  and  a 
pursuit  started  of  the  Japanese,  who  broke  and  fled  to 
the  near  hills.  The  marines  w:ere  retained  on  shore, 
and  Kobe,  in  the  first  days  of  its  history,  became  an 


342 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


armed  camp,  guarded  by  the  marines  of  every  Western 
power. 

Sir  Harry  Parkes  was  a man  of  the  most  undaunted 
courage,  who  had  often  been  under  fire  in  China,  and 
the  last  to  b'e  influenced  by  panic  or  anything  remotely 
approaching  to  it,  but  in  this  instance  he  thought  that 
an  example  should  be  made  to  Japanese  of  the  armed 
class — it  will  be  remembered  that  many  cowardly 
murders  of  Europeans  had  already  taken  place,  some 
of  which  had  gone  unpunished — to  teach  them  the  con- 
sequences of  assaults  on  Europeans,  and  the  officer  who 
gave  the  order  to  fire  was,  notwithstanding  the  great 
provocation  he  had  received,  in  compliance  with  the 
demand  of  the  Foreign  Representatives  for  his  condign 
punishment,  condemned  to  death,  by  hara-kiri,  the  mode 
of  death  which  the  law  of  that  time  prescribed  for  a 
Samurai  guilty  of  an  offence  which  did  not  involve  per- 
sonal dishonour  or  degradation  from  his  status.  In  one 
item,  the  incident  strongly  illustrated  the  change  that  in 
a few  years  had  come  over  the  spirit  of  the  clans.  Bizen 
was,  as  a clan,  only  less  powerful  than  Satsuma.  When 
the  Shogun’s  Government,  whose  authority  at  the 
time,  though  morally  weakened,  was  still  openly 
unquestioned,  asked  the  Satsuma  clan  to  surrender  the 
murderer  of  Richardson,1  the  demand  was  met  with  a 
contemptuous  refusal.  Now,  when  the  newly  established 
Government  of  the  Mikado,  still  in  the  infancy  of  its 
birth,  with  no  prestige  of  military  strength,  demanded 
the  surrender  of  the  officer  in  this  case,  the  clan  gave 
him  up  without  demur,  though  he  was  infinitely  less 
guilty  than  the  murderer  of  Richardson.  In  the  Bizen 
case,  it  was  not  denied  that  the  provocation  was  actually 
given  which  in  that  of  Satsuma  was  only  alleged  and 
was  always  strongly  denied  by  the  English  concerned 

1 The  English  merchant  who  met  his  death  in  the  incident  described 
on  page  331. 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  343 


in  it.  The  lesson,  if  such  was  its  intention,  was  not  so 
speedy  in  its  results  as  to  prevent  the  occurrence  of 
another  outrage  of  a more  serious  character. 

While  the  Foreign  Representatives  were  still  in  the 
midst  of  their  camp  in  Kobe,  an  Imperial  envoy  arrived 
from  Kioto  to  announce  to  them  that  the  Emperor  had 
taken  over  the  supreme  control  of  all  the  affairs  of  the 
state,  both  internal  and  external,  and  this  announcement, 
conveyed  in  writing  under  the  young  Emperor’s  own 
hand  and  seal,  was  promptly  followed  by  a public 
notification,  in  which  the  Emperor  informed  all  his 
subjects  that  he  gave  his  consent  to  the  Treaties  made 
by  the  Shogun.  The  long  conservative  antagonism  of 
the  Imperial  Court  to  foreign  intercourse  had  ended, 
and  both  the  Emperor,  his  Court  and  his  supporters 
among  the  territorial  nobles  were  definitely  committed 
to  the  new  order  of  affairs.  The  garrison  was  then 
withdrawn  from  Kobe,  and  the  Foreign  Representatives 
returned  to  Osaka.  There,  further  proof  was  soon  given 
to  them  that  a new  order  had  arisen.  They  were  invited 
to  an  audience  with  the  Emperor,  on  whose  features  no 
European  eye  had  ever  rested,  who  had  only  been  seen 
by  the  nearest  attendants  of  his  own  Court  among  all 
his  own  subjects,  in  the  sacred  city,  never  trodden  by  a 
European  foot  since  the  days  when  the  Dutch  passed 
through  it  as  virtual  prisoners.  Before  the  audience 
could  be  held  the  second  tragedy  occurred.  A French 
boat’s  crew  was  fired  on  near  Osaka  and  eleven  of  the 
crew  killed.  For  the  firing  in  this  case,  no  provocation 
could  be  alleged,  but  the  penalty  enacted  was  heavy — a 
large  indemnity,  an  apology  from  the  Imperial  Govern- 
ment, and  the  execution  of  the  guilty  men  and  their 
officers.  Twenty  were  condemned  to  die,  but  when 
eleven — the  number  of  the  killed  bluejackets — had  paid 
the  penalty  by  hara-kiri,  the  French  officers  who  were 
present,  sickened  at  the  horrible  sight,  begged  for  mercy 


344 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


for  the  rest,  and  it  was  granted.  The  men  in  this  case 
belonged  to  the  Tosa  clan,  one  of  the  four  that  were 
the  prime  movers  in  the  overthrow  of  the  Shogun  and 
the  restoration  of  the  Emperor,  and  had  therefore  strong 
claims  on  the  Imperial  gratitude  and  clemency.  The 
clan  was  exceptional  in  that  the  Prince  actively  con- 
trolled and  directed  its  affairs.  The  canker  that  had 
eaten  into  the  Imperial  Court,  and  into  the  Courts  of 
every  dynasty  of  Shoguns  that  ever  reigned,  had  also, 
in  the  260  years  of  peace  under  the  Tokugawas,  pene- 
trated into  almost  every  feudal  clan  in  the  Empire. 
Just  as  the  Emperors  and  the  Shoguns  became  faineants, 
leaving  the  executive  entirely  to  their  ministers,  so  did 
the  feudal  chiefs  in  their  principalities,  leaving  all  the 
management  of  their  affairs  and  the  direction  of  the 
policy  of  the  clan  entirely  to  the  ablest  and  most  active 
of  their  retainers,  to  their  Karo,  or  councillor,  or  to  the 
Yonin,  business  men,  retainers  of  a lower  degree  than 
the  Karo.  The  Karo,  holding  hereditary  offices,  very 
often  in  their  turn  followed  the  example  of  their  lords. 
The  Yonin,  on  the  other  hand,  always  attained  their 
positions  entirely  by  their  ability  and  industry,  and  in 
many  cases — in  the  majority,  indeed — the  Yonin  were  the 
brains  of  the  clan,  and  exercised  all  the  real  control 
over  all  its  affairs.1  The  Prince  of  Tosa,  unlike  his 
compeers,  took  all  the  matters  of  his  clan  into  his  own 
charge,  and  the  clan’s  share  in  the  events  that  pre- 
ceded the  revolution  was  taken  entirely  under  his 
direction. 

When  the  restoration  was  accomplished  and  peace 
finally  established,  it  is  sad  to  itell  that  the  able  and 
vigorous  Prince  abandoned  himself  to  debauchery  and 
drink  in  Yedo,  and  died  within  a few  years,  describing 

1 The  great  statesmen  of  the  Restoration  and  afterwards,  with  very 
few  exceptions,  Ito,  Inouye,  Okubo,  Kido,  etc.,  whose  names  are  now 
household  words,  were  Yonin  in  the  clans. 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  345 


himself  at  the  last  as  “the  drunken  old  recluse  of 
Tosa.” 

The  22nd  of  March  was  the  day  fixed  on  which  the 
audience  of  the  Diplomatic  Representatives  of  the 
Treaty  Powers  of  the  West  was  to  take  place  with  the 
Emperor.  It  was  interrupted  by  another  tragedy. 
When  the  English  Minister,  attended  by  a large  escort, 
was  on  his  way  to  the  palace  in  full  state,  two  fanatics 
of  the  old  school,  maddened  with  fury  at  what  they 
thought  was  the  defilement  of  the  divine  sovereign  and 
the  desecration  of  the  ancient  city,  suddenly  burst  with 
drawn  swords  on  the  procession  as  it  turned  the  corner 
of  one  of  the  narrow  streets.  Sir  Harry  Parkes  was 
guarded  by  his  own  mounted  escort,  men  specially 
selected  from  the  London  police,  who,  well  mounted, 
armed  with  lances  and  dressed  in  picturesque  uniforms, 
resembling  those  of  the  Carbineers,  made  a gallant 
show.  They  were  followed  by  a large  detachment  of 
the  9th  Regiment  of  the  Line,  now  the  Norfolk  regi- 
ment, which  was  then  stationed  in  Yokohama.1  The 
two  Japanese  ran  down  both  sides  of  the  long  proces- 
sion, slashing  furiously  with  their  terrible  swords  as 
they  did  so.  Then  one  of  them,  a youth  of  seventeen 
years  of  age,  was  cut  down  and  killed  on  the  spot  by 
two  of  the  Japanese  officers  in  attendance  on  Sir  Harry 
Parkes  as  representatives  of  the  Emperor,  and  the  second 
fell  wounded  by  a bayonet  thrust.  None  of  the 
European  escort  wTas  killed,  but  ten  -were  more  or  less 
severely  wounded.  The  audience  was  postponed  for  a 
few  days.  More  apologies  and  indemnities  followed. 
The  wounded  would-be  assassin  was  degraded  from  his 

1 In  1864,  when  the  disorder  was  at  its  worst  and  civil  war  actually 
in  progress,  both  British  and  French  troops  were  stationed  at 
Yokohama  to  ensure  the  protection  of  the  European  residential  quarters, 
which,  it  was  believed,  the  Shogun,  in  the  midst  of  all  his  political 
difficulties,  could  not  guarantee.  The  troops  were  not  finally  with- 
drawn till  1874. 


346 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


status  as  a Samurai  and  executed,  this  time  not  by  the 
honourable  process  of  hara-kiri,  but  as  a common 
criminal,  by  decapitation,  followed  by  exposure  of  his 
head  on  the  pillory. 

The  Shogun,  as  already  stated,  fled  to  Yedo  after  the 
battle  of  Fushimi.  There,  there  was  soon  a large 
gathering  of  his  adherents,  some  refugees  of  the  army 
beaten  at  Fushimi,  some  from  other  quarters,  clansmen 
from  the  North,  animated  by  traditional  hatred  of  the 
Southerners,  all  not  only  ready  but  eager  to  try  the 
ordeal  of  arms  once  more.  His  cause  was  not  yet  quite 
hopeless.  He  had  greater  military  supplies  than  the 
loyal  army ; he  had  at  least  as  many  fighting  men  ; he 
had  his  strong  ancestral  castle  of  Yedo,  and  from  behind 
its  lofty  walls  and  wide  and  deep  moats,  he  might  have 
made  as  great  a stand  as  Hideyori  did,  in  1616,  in  the 
castle  of  Osaka  against  the  Shogun’s  own  ancestor, 
Iyeyasu.  But  he  was  weary  of  the  struggle.  All  his 
own  longings  had  from  the  first  been  for  peace.  The 
resort  to  arms  that  had  already  been  made  was  against 
his  wishes,  and,  that  having  been  in  vain,  he  was  more 
than  loath  to  put  his  fate  once  more  to  the  fortune  of 
arms.  He  ordered  his  adherents  not  to  fight,  and  he 
formally  surrendered  his  castle  to  the  advance  guard  of 
the  loyal  troops  who  were  now  marching  on  Yedo  and 
close  on  it.  The  great  Eastern  capital  was  then  for  the 
first  time  under  the  control  of  the  Imperial  Government 
at  Kioto.  The  clansmen,  who  had  remained  faithful  to 
the  Shogun  to  the  last,  were  not  so  submissive  as  their 
lord.  The  majority  retreated  to  the  North,  where,  in 
their  own  native  provinces,  they  maintained  a stout 
resistance  to  the  loyal  army  for  another  six  months. 
Another  party,  taking  possession  of  all  the  ships  that 
the  Shogun  owned,  made  their  way  to  Hakodate  and 
there  held  out  till  the  summer  of  the  following  year, 
fighting  as  boldly  on  the  sea,  with  as  much  skill  and 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  347 


reckless  bravery,  as  their  fellows  had  ever  done  on 
land,  surrendering  only  when  their  ships,  supplies  and 
ammunition  were  all  gone.  One  small  body  refusing 
even  to  abandon  Yedo  without  a fight,  took  possession 
of  the  hills  at  Uyeno,  the  site  of  the  beautiful  mauso- 
leums of  some  of  the  Tokugawa  Shoguns,  and  there 
made  their  last  stand.  On  the  4th  of  July,  1868,  just  as 
the  summer  day  was  dawning,  they  were  attacked  by  an 
overwhelming  force  of  the  loyalists,  and  after  a struggle, 
fought  in  a violent  storm  of  rain  and  wind,  that  lasted 
through  the  greater  part  of  the  day,  they  were  killed 
almost  to  the  last  man.  The  great  temple,  Toyeizan, 
built  by  Iyemitsu,  when  at  the  summit  of  his  glory,  in  a 
degree  of  grandeur  that  was  worthy  of  the  wealth  and 
dignity  of  the  Tokugawas,  that  was  second  only  to  Nikko 
as  a triumph  of  Japanese  architecture,  so  splendidly 
endowed  that  it  was  always  ruled  by  a Chief  Priest  of 
the  Imperial  family,  took  fire  as  the  last  remnant  of  the 
defenders  made  their  final  struggle  in  the  shelter  of  its 
walls  and  pillars,  and  was  burned  to  the  ground.  So 
high  did  the  flames  rise  from  it  that,  as  night  fell,  they 
were  clearly  seen  in  Yokohama,  full  twenty  miles 
distant.  The  Shogun,  when  the  surrender  of  his  capital 
was  decided  on,  was  advised  by  one  of  his  chief  retainers 
to  take  the  traditional  refuge  of  a defeated  lord  in  death 
by  hara-kiri.  He  declined,  and  the  retainer  then,  to 
show  the  sincerity  of  his  advice,  more  japonico,  com- 
mitted hara-kiri  himself.  The  Shogun  retired  to  his 
ancestral  home  at  Shidzuoka,  where  he  relapsed  into  the 
ordinary  status  of  a private  gentleman,  interfering  no 
more  in  the  affairs  of  the  state,  where  he  has  ever  since 
lived  in  peaceful  seclusion.1 

Successful  revolutions  were  in  Old  Japan  almost  in- 
variably followed  by  the  universal  proscription  of  the 

1 He  never  even  visited  Tokio  until  he  was  compelled  to  do  so  to 
obtain  medical  attendance. 


348 


THE  STORY  OF  OLD  JAPAN 


vanquished,  by  wholesale  executions  and  confiscations, 
by  the  slaughter  of  all  the  adherents  of  the  lost  cause, 
men,  women  and  children,  without  distinction  of  rank, 
without  any  regard  to  degrees  of  responsibility.  Hide- 
yoshi  was  the  one  exception  that  proved  the  general 
rule.  The  first  sign  that  New  Japan  was  born  was  given 
in  the  clemency  that  was  extended  to  the  beaten  vassals 
and  allies  of  the  Tokugawas.  There  were  no  executions, 
no  confiscations;  not  only  was  Yoshinobu  spared  and 
left  with  sufficient  of  his  old  family  estates  to  provide 
for  his  future  in  a degree  becoming  to  his  rank,  but 
every  one,  high  or  low,  who  had  fought  for  him  found 
the  same  mercy.  No  one  was  put  to  death  except  those 
who  died  in  battle,  sword  in  hand.  There  was  no  ruin, 
no  sudden  descent  from  wealth  and  dignity  to  poverty 
and  obscurity.  When  the  triumph  of  the  Imperial  cause 
was  finally  assured,  all  past  enmity  to  it  was  forgiven 
and  forgotten,  and  that  this  was  so  was  entirely  owing 
to  the  budding  knowledge  of  the  principles  of  Western 
civilization.  Except  by  Hideyoshi,  no  defeated  foe  was 
ever  before  spared  in  Japanese  history.  Until  the  last 
struggle  in  the  North  there  were  no  prisoners  of  war 
nor  wounded  in  battle — all  were  ruthlessly  slain.  The 
first  lesson  in  sparing  the  wounded  in  battle  was  given 
to  the  Japanese  by  an  Irish  doctor,  the  one  and  only 
European  ever  engaged  on  a Japanese  battlefield  till 
that  time,  who  accompanied  the  Imperial  forces  in  their 
final  campaign  in  the  North,  and  it  was  from  him  that 
the  Japanese  soldiers  first  acquired  the  elements  of  mercy 
which  showed  its  best  fruits  in  Manchuria  in  their  last 
great  war.  The  Imperial  Government  had  its  reward 
for  its  clemency.  Many  of  those  who  fought  for  or 
served  the  Tokugawas  in  civil  capacities,  who,  if 
Japanese  tradition  had  been  faithfully  preserved,  would 
have  been  either  executed  or  would  have  died  by  their 
own  hands  on  its  downfall,  were,  within  a decade  after- 


THE  RESTORATION  OF  THE  EMPEROR  349 


wards,  among  the  ablest  and  most  loyal  of  the  Emperor’s 
servants,  military,  naval  and  civil,  and  many  have  since 
held  offices  of  the  highest  responsibility  in  the  Govern- 
ment. 

For  more  than  a thousand  years  Kioto  had  been  the 
capital  of  the  Empire  and  the  home  of  the  Emperor. 
With  the  exception  of  the  Ashikaga,  all  the  Shoguns, 
who  ruled  while  the  Emperors  slumbered  in  the  monastic 
seclusion  of  their  palaces,  lived  in  the  Eastern  Provinces, 
first  at  Kamakura  and  in  the  later  and  last  generations 
at  Yedo,  and  the  Eastern  capital  had  come  to  be  indis- 
solubly associated  in  the  minds  of  the  whole  nation 
with  the  direct  and  effective  exercise  of  authority.  Now 
that  the  Empire  was  to  be  consolidated  under  a central 
Government  with  the  Emperor  as  its  one  and  visible 
head,  it  was  felt  that  the  people  would  be  more  speedily 
familiarized  with  the  new  order  of  affairs  if  the  Govern- 
ment was  established  in  the  quarter  in  which  it  had  been 
so  long  administered,  and  that  Kioto,  associated  as  it 
was  mainly  with  memories  of  the  subjection  of  the 
legitimate  sovereign’s  influence  to  that  of  successive 
dynasties  of  usurpers,  should  cease  to  be  the  capital  of 
the  Empire. 

The  Emperor  and  all  his  Court  removed  to  Yedo; 
there  his  ministry  was  established,  and  it  was  decided 
that  henceforth  Yedo  should  be  called  Tokio — the 
Eastern  Capital — and  that  it  should  be  the  capital  and 
seat  of  government.  A few  months  later  the  Daimios, 
the  territorial  princes  who  had  ruled  their  fiefs  for 
centuries  as  quasi-independent  kingdoms,  though 
always  acknowledging  the  suzerainty  of  the  Emperor, 
surrendered  all  their  rights.  With  that  step  Feudalism 
died,  and  the  unification  of  the  Empire,  in  its  fullest 
sense,  became  an  accomplished  fact,  and  with  it  also 
Old  Japan  came  to  an  end,  and  our  story  therefore 
closes. 


APPENDIX  I 


CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST  OF  THE  EMPERORS  OF 

JAPAN 

The  present  Emperor  of  Japan,  according  to  the  official 
list  authenticated  by  the  Government,  is  the  one  hundred 
and  twenty-first  sovereign  in  the  direct  line  of  descent  from 
the  first  Emperor  Jimmu.  Of  the  whole  number  nine  were 
Empresses,  but  two  of  these  Empresses  abdicated  and  sub- 
sequently reascended  the  throne,  in  the  first  instance  under 
a different  name,  and  in  each  case  their  two  reigns  are 
counted  separately.  On  the  other  hand,  the  regency  of  the 
Empress  Jingo,  which  lasted  for  sixty-eight  years,  is  not 
reckoned  as  a separate  reign,  her  husband,  the  Emperor 
Chiuai,  having,  by  a fiction,  been  supposed  to  live  until  the 
accession,  seventy  years  after  his  death,  of  his  son,  the 
Emperor  Ojin.  When  allowance  is  made  for  the  double 
reigns  of  the  two  Empresses  and  the  regency  of  the  third, 
the  total  number  of  sovereigns  becomes  one  hundred  and 
twenty. 

The  names  in  the  list  are  posthumous  or  canonical.  Each 
Emperor  had  his  individual  Japanese  name — that  of  Jimmu 
was  Kamu-Yamato-Iware-Biko  or  Prince  Divine-Yamato- 
Iware  (Yamato  is  the  province  in  which  Jimmu  established 
his  capital  and  Iware  the  name  of  a locality  in  it) — but  the 
Emperors  were  so  sacred  that  their  names  were  never  pro- 
nounced in  their  lifetime,  and  it  is  only  by  their  canonical 
names  that  they  are  known  to  history.  Whenever  an 
Emperor  was  mentioned  during  his  life  1 it  was  always  by  the 
title  Tenno,  “Lord  of  Heaven,”  or  Tenshi,  “Son  of  Heaven,” 
with  the  addition,  in  the  ordinary  vernacular  of  daily  life, 

1 The  first  recorded  instance  of  the  use  of  the  personal  name  of  an  Emperor 
in  his  lifetime  is  that  of  the  present  Emperor  in  1868,  when  he  signed  the 
document  in  which  he  announced  to  the  sovereigns  of  all  the  foreign  nations 
that  he  would  “henceforward  exercise  supreme  authority  both  in  the  internal 
and  external  affairs  of  the  country.” 


351 


352 


APPENDIX  I 


of  the  honorific  word  “Sama,”  a word  that  is  equally 
applied,  for  politeness’  sake,  to  the  Emperor  or  to  a com- 
moner. In  the  case  of  the  Emperor,  “Tenshi  Sama”  would 
be  translated  “His  Majesty  the  Emperor.”  In  that  of  a 
commoner,  “Sama”  would  simply  mean  “Mr.”.  The  term 
Mikado,  by  which  Europeans  are  accustomed  to  speak  of 
the  Emperor,  means  “ Honourable  Gate,”  involving  the 
same  idea  as  that  which  is  contained  in  “ Sublime  Porte  ” ; 
it  is  rarely  used  by  his  subjects.  Other  terms  are  : — Kotei, 
the  sovereign  who  rules  over  nations;  Kinri,  the  forbidden 
interior;  Dairi,  the  term  almost  invariably  used  by  the 
Jesuits,  the  Imperial  Palace;  and  Chotei,  the  Hall  of 
Audience. 

In  the  following  list,  translations  are  appended  to  the 
majority  of  the  names,  and  where  there  is  none,  the  name  is 
taken  from  a locality — Nijo,  Rokujo  and  Shijo,  for  example, 
are  the  names  of  wards  in  Kioto;  Tsuchi  Mikado  was  that  of 
a palace;  Fushimi  and  Nara  are  well-known  towns  near 
Kioto.  The  prefix  Go  signifies  the  second  of  the  same  name 
(Go  literally  means  “after”).  Go  Ichijo  thus  means  Ichijo 
the  Second.  There  is  no  instance  of  three  sovereigns  of  the 
same  name.  The  dates  given  as  those  of  the  beginning  of 
each  reign  are  those  of  the  formal  investiture  of  the  new 
sovereign,  which  seldom  took  place  till  a year  and  some- 
times not  till  a longer  period  after  his  predecessor’s  death. 
Slight  discrepancies  occasionally  occur  in  the  ages  of  the 
sovereigns  at  accession  and  at  death  or  abdication  and  in 
the  length  of  their  reigns,  but  these  are  unavoidable  owing 
to  the  different  months  in  which  the  years  began  under  the 
Chinese  and  the  Julian  or  Gregorian  calendars. 


I.  The  Dark  Ages 

Fifteen — or,  including  the  Regent  Empress  Jingo,  sixteen — 
sovereigns  reigned  during  this  period,  the  average  of  whose 
ages  at  death  exceeded  107  years.  The  explanation  of  this 
extraordinary  longevity  is,  according  to  the  late  Mr.  Bram- 
sen,  who  made  a most  exhaustive  investigation  of  Japanese 
Chronology,  that  the  year  was  counted  from  Equinox  to 
Equinox,  thereby  making  two  years  of  what  we  now  call  one. 
Even  this  explanation  will  not  account  for  the  age,  360  years, 
of  the  Empress  Jingo’s  Minister,  Takeuchi  (page  44). 


APPENDIX  I 


353 


Date  of 
Accession. 

Age  at 
Accession. 

Date  of 
Death. 

Age  at 
Death. 

1.  Timmu  (Divine  Valour)  .... 

B.C. 

660 

52 

B.C. 

58s 

127 

2.  Suizei  (Tranquillity) 

581 

52 

549 

84 

3.  Annei  (Peace) 

548 

20 

511 

57 

4.  Itoku  (Admirable  virtue)  .... 

510 

44 

477 

77 

5.  Kosho  (Filial  piety) 

475 

32 

393 

ii4 

6.  Koan  (Piety  and  peace)  .... 

392 

35 

291 

137 

7.  Korei  (Spirit  of  piety) 

290 

52 

215 

12s 

8.  Kogen  (Origin  of  piety)  .... 

214 

59 

158 

1 16 

9.  Kaikwa  (Civilization)  ...*.. 

158 

55 

98 

115 

10.  Sujin  (Honour  the  Gods)  .... 

97 

53 

30 

120 

11.  Suinin  (Dispense  benevolence)  . . 

29 

41 

70 

141 

12.  Keiko  (Great  conduct) 

71 

84 

130 

143 

13.  Seimu  (Perform  duty) 

131 

49 

190 

108 

14.  Chuai  (Middle  grief ) 

192 

44 

200 

52 

Jingo  (Merit  of  the  Gods) 

_ (Empress  Regent) 

201 

32 

269 

IOO 

15.  Ojin  (Meeting  the  Gods)  .... 

270 

70 

310 

I IO 

II.  The  Dawn  of  History 

Seventeen  Emperors  and  one  Empress  reigned  during  this 
period,  which  extends  from  313,  the  date  of  the  accession 
of  the  Emperor  Nintoku,  to  628,  when  the  Empress  Suiko 
died.  The  first  in  the  line,  it  will  be  seen,  like  so  many  of 
his  predecessors,  died  a centenarian,  but  (though  the  Kojiki 
records  Yuriaku  also  as  a centenarian)  the  average  accepted 
age  of  his  seventeen  successors  did  not  exceed  the  very 
human  standard  of  sixty-three  years.  Mr.  Bramsen’s  ex- 
planation of  this  decrease  is  that  in  the  reign  of  Nintoku, 
the  Chinese  year,  double  the  length  of  that  from  Equinox  to 
Equinox,  became  known  to  the  Japanese,  through  their  inter- 
course with  Korea,  and  that  at  the  end  of  his  reign  it  was 
formally  adopted.  One  curious  result,  Mr.  Bramsen  sug- 
gests, would  follow  the  adoption  of  his  theory  : Nintoku  died 
1059  years  after  the  accession  of  Jimmu;  if,  however,  the 
lengths  of  the  reigns  of  Jimmu  and  his  sixteen  successors  are 
to  be  reduced  by  one  half,  the  foundation  of  the  Empire  took 
place  at  a considerably  later  date  than  660  b.c. 


354 


APPENDIX  I 


Date  of 
Accession. 

Age  at 
Accession. 

Date  of 
Death. 

Age  at 
Death. 

16.  Nintoku  (Benevolence  and  virtue)  . 

313 

34 

399 

120 

17.  Rikiu  (Treading  in  the  middle)  . 

400 

70 

406 

76 

18.  Hanzei  (Facing  right) 

406 

56 

4IO 

60 

19.  Ingyo  (Sincerely  courteous)  . . . 

412 

39 

453 

80 

20.  Anko  (Peace) 

453 

53 

456 

56 

21.  Yuriaku  (Grand  counsel)  .... 

457 

40 

479 

62 

22.  Seinei  (Pure  and  truthful)  .... 

480 

38 

484 

42 

23.  Kenzo  (Illustrious  Ancestry)  . . 

485 

36 

487 

38 

24.  Ninken  (Benevolence  and  talent) 

488 

41 

498 

51 

25.  Muretsu  (Martial  ardour)  .... 

499 

50 

506 

57 

26.  Keidai  (Succeed  body) 

507 

57 

531 

81 

27.  Ankan  (Peaceful  space)  .... 

534 

69 

535 

70 

28.  Senkwa  (Spread  civilization)  . . . 

536 

70 

539 

73 

29.  Kimmei  (Reverence) 

539 

31 

571 

63 

30.  Bidatsu  (Cleverness) 

572 

35 

585 

48 

31.  Y5mei  (Employ  enlightenment)  . 

585 

67 

587 

69 

32.  Sujun  (Venerable  and  lofty)  . 

33.  Suiko  (Reasoning  from  antiquity) 

588 

69 

592 

73 

(Empress) 

593 

40 

628 

75 

III.  From  the  Establishment  of  Buddhism  to  the  Close 
of  the  Nara  Period 

As  the  national  annals  were  regularly  kept  during  this 
period  its  history  may  be  regarded  as  authentic.  There  were 
in  all  seventeen  reigns,  but  only  fifteen  sovereigns,  two 
Empresses  who  abdicated  having  been  re-enthroned  on  the 
deaths  of  their  successors  during  their  lifetime.  It  will  be 
noticed  that  an  unusual  interval  elapsed  between  the  death  of 
the  Empress  Saimei  and  the  accession  of  her  son  as  suc- 
cessor. No  reason  is  given  in  the  Nihongi  for  the  delay. 
A shorter  but  still  a substantial  interval  elapsed  between  the 
death  of  Temmu  and  the  accession  of  his  widow.  The 
latter  governed  very  vigorously  during  the  interval,  but  it 
was  only  in  the  year  690  that  the  “ Divine  tokens  ” (the 
Imperial  regalia)  were  delivered  to  her.  “Then  she  assumed 
the  Imperial  dignity,  and  the  ministers  and  public  function- 
aries, ranged  in  order,  made  obeisance  in  rotation  and 
clapped  their  hands.” 


APPENDIX  I 


355 


Date  of 
Accession. 

Age  at 
Accession. 

Date  of 
Death. 

Age  at 
Death. 

34.  Jomei  (Extend  enlightenment)  . . 

35.  Kokyoku  (Royal  perfection) 

629 

37 

641 

49 

(Empress) 

642 

49 

— 

— 

36.  Kotoku  (Piety  and  virtue) . . . . 

37.  Saimei  (Uniform  bright) 

(Re-enthronement  of  Kokyoku 

645 

50 

654 

59 

under  a new  name) 

655 

62 

66 1 

68 

38.  Tenchi  (Heavenly  intelligence)  . . 

668 

55 

671 

58 

39.  Kobun  (Pious  hearing) 

672 

25 

672 

25 

40.  Temmu  (Heavenly  valour)  . . . 

673 

52 

686 

65 

41.  Jito  (Supreme  control)  (Empress)  . 

690 

46 

702 

58 

42.  Mommu  (Civil  and  military)  . 

43.  Gemmyo  (Original  enlightenment) 

697 

707 

25 

(Empress) 

44.  Gens  ho  (Original  righteousness) 

CO 

0 

tN 

48 

721 

6l 

(Empress) 

715 

36 

748 

69 

45.  Shomu  (Saintly  valour)  .... 

724 

24 

756 

56 

46.  Koken  (Modesty)  (Empress)  . . 

749 

32 

— 

— 

47.  Junin  (Magnanimous  benevolence)  . 

759 

27 

765 

33 

48.  Koken  (re-enthroned) 

765 

48 

770 

53 

49.  Konin  (Brilliant  benevolence) 

770 

62 

781 

73 

50.  Kwammu  (Magnificent  valour)  . 

782 

46 

806 

70 

IV.  The  Heian  Period 

The  practice  of  abdication  began  during  the  previous 
period,  but  it  was  in  this,  which  extends  from  the  foundation 
of  the  capital  at  Kioto  to  the  beginning  of  the  military 
domination  of  the  Taira,  that  it  was  first  made  compulsory 
under  the  tyranny  of  the  Fujiwara  ( vide  page  76).  A fifth 
line  has  been  added  to  our  dates  giving  the  ages  at  which 
the  Emperors  abdicated,  either  voluntarily  or  under  com- 
pulsion. This  line  is  blank  in  cases  in  which  the  Emperors 
died  while  still  on  the  throne.  ( Vide  table  on  next  page.) 


a a 2 


356 


APPENDIX  I 


Date  of 
Accession. 

Age  at 
Accession. 

Age  at 
1 Deposition 
or 

Abdication. 

! Date  of 
j Death. 

Age  at 
Death. 

51.  Heijo 

806 

33 

36 

824 

51 

52.  Saga 

53.  Junwa  (Magnanimous 

810 

25 

38 

842 

57 

peace) 

54.  Nimmyo  (Benevolent 

824 

39 

49 

O 

rj* 

00 

55 

enlightenment)  . . . 

834 

25 

— 

850 

41 

55.  Montoku  (Civil  virtue)  . 

851 

25 

— 

858 

32 

56.  Seiwa  (Peace) . . . . 

57.  Yozei  (Positive-accom- 

859 

10 

28 

880 

3i 

plish) 

877 

10 

18 

949 

82 

58.  Koko  (Brilliant  piety)  . 

885 

56 

887 

58 

59-  Uda 

888 

22 

29 

931 

65 

60.  Daigo 

898 

14 

— 

930 

46 

61.  Shujaku  . • . . . 

93i 

15 

— 

946 

30 

62.  Muragami 

947 

22 

— 

967 

42 

63.  Reizei 

968 

18 

20 

IOII 

62 

64.  Enyu  (Whole  softening; 

65.  Kwazan  (Flowery  moun- 

970 

12 

26 

991 

33 

tain)  

985 

17 

•9 

1008 

41 

66.  Ichijo 

987 

8 

IOII 

32 

67.  Sanjo 

IOI2 

38 

— 

1017 

43 

68.  Go  Ichijo 

1017 

IO 

— 

1036 

29 

69.  Go  Shujaku  .... 

1037 

28 

— 

1046 

37 

70.  Go  Reizei 

1047 

23 

— 

1068 

44 

71.  Go  Sanjo 

1069 

37 

— 

1072 

40 

72.  Shirakawa 

1073 

21 

34 

1129 

77 

73.  Horikawa 

1087 

9 

1107 

29 

74.  Toba 

1108 

6 

22 

1156 

54 

75.  Sutoku  (Reverend  virtue) 

1124  ' 

6 

23 

1164 

46 

76.  Konoye  (Life-guards)  . 

1142 

4 

1 

1155 

17 

V.  The  Gem-Pei  Wars 

This  period,  which  may  be  called  the  beginning  of  the 
middle  ages  of  Japan,  covers  that  of  the  rise  and  fall  of  the 
Taira  family.  The  Court  intrigue  which  was  the  beginning 
of  the  war  is  described  at  page  90.  The  last  three  Emperors 
in  the  preceding  list  are  : Toba,  who  acceded  to  the  throne 
at  the  age  of  six  and  abdicated  at  the  age  of  twenty-two; 
his  son  Sutoku,  who  was  six  years  old  at  his  accession  and 
abdicated  at  the  age  of  twenty-three ; and  Konoye,  brother 
of  Sutoku,  who  succeeded  at  the  age  of  four  and  died,  while 
still  on  the  throne,  at  the  age  of  seventeen.  The  succession 


APPENDIX  I 


was  then  disputed,  but  by  the  aid  of  Kiyomori,  Go  Shira- 
kawa,  also  a brother  of  Sutoku,  was  placed  on  the  throne, 
and  Sutoku  and  his  son  were  banished  to  the  province  of 
Sanuki.  Go  Shirakawa  in  his  turn  was  soon  deposed  and 
banished  by  Kiyomori,  and  of  his  two  successors,  both  boys, 
one  died  and  one  was  deposed.  A third  boy,  the  son  of  Go 
Shirakawa  and  nephew  by  marriage  of  Kiyomori,  was  then 
placed  on  the  throne,  and  afterwards  married  to  Kiyomori’s 
daughter.  When  a son  was  born  to  this  marriage  the 
Emperor  was  deposed,  and  the  son,  Antoku,  Kiyomori’s 
grandson,  placed  on  the  throne.  He  was  drowned  at  the 
battle  of  Dan  no  Ura. 


Date  of 
Accession. 

Age  at 
Accession. 

Age  at 
Deposition 
or 

Abdication. 

Date  of 
Death. 

Age  at 
Death. 

77.  Go  Shirakawa.  . . 

1156 

30 

32 

II92 

66 

78.  Nijo 

1159 

17 

1165 

23 

79.  Rokujo 

1166 

3 

s 

1176 

13 

So.  Takakura 

1169 

0 

20 

11S0 

21 

Si.  Antoku  (Tranquil  virtue^ 

11S0 

3 

— 

11S5 

s 

VI.  The  Minamoto  Period 

This  period  covers  the  Shogunate  of  Yoritomo  and  his  two 
sons.  The  "Cloistered  Emperor”  [vide  page  75),  Go 
Shirakawa,  was  still  alive  at  its  beginning,  and  though  he 
had  been  deposed  by  Kiyomori  in  the  year  1158,  he  had 
since,  during  the  reigns  of  his  four  boy  successors,  con- 
tinued in  their  names  to  discharge  all  the  functions  which 
could  only  be  legalized  by  the  Emperor’s  name  and  authority. 
When  the  Taira  fled  from  Kioto  they  carried  with  them  the 
boy  Emperor  Antoku,  and  so  long  as  he  retained  the  throne 
and  continued  in  the  possession  of  the  Taira,  the  latter  were 
the  loyal  party  and  the  Minamoto  rebels.  Yoritomo  was, 
however,  not  the  man  to  let  a quibble  of  this  kind  stand  in 
his  way.  The  Cloistered  Emperor  was  forced  to  declare  the 
throne  vacated  by  the  flight  of  the  Emperor  and  to  select  a 
new  nominee  for  it.  Takakura  had  two  other  sons  besides 
Antoku,  both  of  whom  were  left  by  the  Taira  in  Kioto,  an 
oversight  which  they  afterwards  bitterly  regretted.  The 


358 


APPENDIX  I 


Cloistered  Emperor  decided  to  select  one  of  these  for  the 
throne,  and  resorted  to  divination  to  decide  which  it  should 
be.  The  lot  fell  on  the  elder,  but  as  the  Cloistered  Emperor 
was  urged  by  his  favourite  mistress  to  nominate  the  younger, 
he  tried  divination  again,  and  this  time  it  was  in  favour  of 
the  younger,  so  he  became  the  Emperor  Go  Toba.  This  was 
in  the  year  1183,  but  the  reign  only  dates  from  the  formal 
investiture  with  the  regalia  in  1186  after  they  had  been 
recovered  at  the  battle  of  Dan  no  Ura.  Six  years  after- 
wards Go  Shirakawa  died  and  his  obsequies  were  celebrated 
by  Yoritomo,  then  at  the  summit  of  his  glory,  with  great 
splendour.  Among  other  things,  he  provided  gratuitous 
baths  for  the  whole  population  of  Kioto  for  one  hundred 
days.  All  the  Emperors  of  this  period  were,  it  will  be  seen, 
boys  who  abdicated  or  were  deposed  on  the  approach  of  or 
in  early  manhood.  Go  Toba  abdicated  in  favour  of  his 
eldest  son,  Tsuchi  Mikado;  then  he  made  the  latter  resign 
in  favour  of  the  youngest  Juntoku,  he  himself  retaining  all 
the  time  the  real  exercise  of  the  Imperial  functions,  and 
later  forced  Juntoku  to  abdicate  in  favour  of  his  son.  Go 
Toba  was  a strong  exception  to  the  general  run  of  sovereigns, 
showing  himself  a very  vigorous  and  ambitious  intriguer, 
who  keenly  resented  the  domination  of  the  Minamoto  and 
was  anxious  to  see  the  Imperial  prerogatives  restored  to 
their  fullest  extent. 


Date  of 
Accession. 

Age  at 
Accession. 

Age  at 
Deposition 
or 

Abdication. 

Date  of 
Death. 

Age  at 
Death. 

82.  Go  Toba  ..... 

n86 

7 

20 

1239 

60 

83.  Tsuchi  Mikado  . . . 

1199 

5 

1 7 

1231 

37 

84.  Juntoku  (Meek  virtue)  . 

1 21 1 

15 

26 

I242 

46 

85.  Chukiyo  (Middle  respect) 

1222 

5 

5 

1234 

17 

VII.  The  Hojo  Period 

The  last  three  reigns  are  included  in  the  Minamoto 
period,  but  the  Hojo  influence  commenced  at  the  death  of 
Yoritomo,  and  the  history  of  the  three  reigns  was  that  of 
the  struggle  for  the  mastery  between  them  and  the  ex- 
emperor Go  Toba.  In  1222,  the  triumph  of  the  Hoj5  was 


ArPENDIX  I 


359 


complete  and  the  power  of  the  Imperial  Court  and  its  sup- 
porters entirely  broken.  The  Hojo  regent  promptly  signal- 
ized his  triumph  by  deposing  the  boy  Emperor  Chukiyo  and 
setting  up  in  his  stead  Go  Horikawa,  the  son  of  a younger 
son  of  Takakura.  All  the  ex-emperors  were  banished,  Go 
Toba  to  the  island  of  Oki,  Juntoku  to  Sado,  and  Tsuchi 
Mikado  to  the  province  of  Awa,  where  they  passed  the 
rest  of  their  lives  in  miserable  poverty.  Go  Horikawa 
voluntarily  abdicated  in  favour  of  his  eldest  son  Shijo,  who 
died  while  still  on  the  throne.  Then  Go  Saga,  a son  of  the 
exiled  Tsuchi  Mikado,  was  enthroned  by  the  Hojo.  He 
abdicated,  and  was  succeeded  while  still  alive  by  his  two 
sons,  Fukakusa  and  Kameyama ; the  latter  was  succeeded 
by  his  eldest  son  Go  Uda,  and  he  by  Fukakusa’s  son 
Fushimi.  He  was  followed  by  his  son,  Go  Fushimi,  and  he 
by  Go  Nijo,  a son  of  Go  Uda.  When  the  latter  ascended  the 
throne  there  were  five  ex-emperors  still  alive,  all,  except  the 
last,  men  of  mature  years,  all  of  whom  had  been  deposed 
and  their  successors  in  every  instance  selected  at  their 
arbitrary  will  by  the  Hojo  regents. 

Go  Nijd  died  while  still  on  the  throne.  Then  Hanazono, 
a younger  brother  of  Go  Fushimi,  was  crowned  in  defiance 
of  the  will  of  the  Imperial  Court,  where  it  was  desired  that 
the  succession  should  be  given  to  a son  of  Go  Nijo.  Hana- 
zono in  his  turn  was  deposed  in  favour  of  Go  Daigo,  the 
second  son  of  Go  Uda,  and  the  last  Emperor  of  the  Hojo 
period.  His  story  is  told  in  Chapter  VIII. 


Date  of 
Accession. 

Age  at 
Accession. 

Age  at 
Deposition 
or 

Abdication. 

Date  of 
Death. 

Age  at 
Death. 

86.  Go  Horikawa  .... 

1222 

IO 

20 

1234 

22 

87.  Shijo 

1232 

3 

— 

1242 

12 

88.  Go  Saga  . ... 

1242 

2 3 

27 

1272 

53 

89.  Fukakusa 

1247 

5 

17 

1304 

62 

90.  Kameyama 

1259 

1 1 

26 

130s 

57 

91.  Go  Uda 

1274 

8 

21 

1324 

58 

92.  Fushimi 

1288 

24 

34 

1317 

S3 

93.  Go  Fushimi  .... 

1298 

I I 

14 

1336 

49 

94.  Go  Nijo 

95.  Hanazono  (Flower  gar- 

1302 

19 

— 

1307 

24 

den) 

1308 

12 

22 

1348 

52 

96.  Go  Daigo 

1318 

31 

— 

1339 

52 

360 


APPENDIX  I 


VIII.  The  Ashikaga  Period 

Go  Daigo’s  reign  lasted  for  the  first  few  years  of  this 
period,  but  he  and  his  three  successors  were  all  in  exile, 
while  the  False  Emperors  (vide  pages  156-157)  reigned  at 
Kioto.  The  names  and  reigns  of  the  False  Emperors,  who 
are  not  historically  recognized  as  having  reigned,  were — 

Kogon  . . . 1333-1336 

Komyo  . . . 1336-1349 

Shinko  . . . 1349-1352 

Go  Kogon  . . . 1352-1372 

Go  Enyu  . . . 1372-1383 

Go  Komatsu.  . . 1383-1393 

In  1393,  Go  Komatsu  was  acknowledged  as  the  legitimate 
Emperor,  and  his  official  reign  commences  in  that  year. 
Of  him  and  his  successors,  there  is  nothing  to  tell.  They 
were  allowed  to  reign,  but  amid  all  the  contending  factions 
who  disputed  and  fought  at  their  capital,  they  were  mere 
nonentities.  It  was  in  the  reign  of  the  last  Emperor  in  the 
list  that  Nobunaga  and  Hideyoshi  rose  to  power,  and  the 
interregnum  of  the  Shoguns  began. 


Date  of 
Accession. 

Age  at 
Accession. 

Age  at 
Deposition 
or 

Abdication. 

Date  of 
Death. 

Age  at 
Death. 

97.  Go  Murakami  . . . 

1339 

12 

1368 

41 

98.  Go  Kameyama  . . . 

1368 

22 

46 

1424 

78 

99.  Go  Komatsu  .... 

1393 

17 

37 

1433 

57 

100.  Shoko  (Admiring  en- 
lightenment) . . . 

1414 

14 



1428 

28 

101.  Go  Hanazono  . . . 

1429 

II 

46 

1470 

52 

102.  Go  Tsuchi  Mikado  . . 

1465 

24 

— 

1500 

59 

103.  Go  Kashi wara  . . . 

1501 

38 

— 

1526 

63 

104.  Go  Nara 

1527 

32 

— 

1557 

62 

105.  Ojimachi 

1558 

40 

68 

1593 

75 

IX.  The  Tokugawa  Period 

The  first  Emperor  in  this  list  reigned  through  nearly  the 
whole  of  Hideyoshi ’s  domination,  but  the  only  exercise  he 
made  of  his  authority  was  his  refusal  of  the  title  of  Shogun 


APPENDIX  I 


361 


to  Hideyoshi.  The  remainder  all  lived  in  peaceful  splendour 
at  Kioto  under  the  protection  of  the  Tokugawas,  and  there 
is  no  record  of  their  interference  in  the  affairs  of  State  until 
the  indignation  of  the  Emperor  Komei  was  stirred  by  the 
admission  of  Europeans  to  reside  and  trade  in  Japan.  In 
1868,  the  present  Emperor  resumed  the  full  prerogatives  of 
the  throne,  which  had  not  been  exercised  by  his  ancestors  for 
more  than  a thousand  years. 


Date  of 
Accession. 

Age  at 
Accession. 

Age  at 
Deposition 
or 

Abdication. 

Date  of 
Death. 

Age  at 
Death. 

106.  Go  Yozei 

1587 

17 

42 

1617 

47 

107.  Go  Mizuo  .... 

1612 

17 

34 

1680 

85 

108.  Myosho  (manifest 
righteousness)  (Em- 
press)   

1630 

8 

22 

1696 

74 

109.  Go  Komyo  .... 

1644 

12 

— 

1654 

22 

1 10.  Go  Nishio  .... 

1654 

18 

27 

1685 

49 

hi.  Reigen  (Marvellous 
originality)  .... 

1663 

IO 

34 

1732 

79 

1 1 2.  Higashiyama.  . . . 

1687 

13 

— 

1709 

35 

1 13.  Naka  Mikado  . . . 

1710 

12 

— 

1735 

37 

1 14.  Sakuramachi . . . . 

1 736 

17 

27 

1750 

3i 

1 1 5.  Momozono  .... 

1747 

7 

— 

1762 

22 

1 16.  Go  Sakuramachi 

(Empress)  .... 

1763 

24 

32 

1813 

74 

1 17.  Go-Momozono  . . 

1771 

14 

— 

1779 

22 

1 18.  Kokaku  (Enlightened 
standing)  .... 

O 

00 

IO 

47 

1840 

70 

1 19.  Ninko  (Benevolent 

P'ety)  

1817 

18 



1846 

47 

120.  Komei  (Pious  enlighten- 
ment)   

1847 

17 

1867 

37 

121.  Mutsuhito  (Reigning 
Emperor)  .... 

1867 

15 

— 

The  Kuges 

The  Kuges,  the  nobles  of  the  Imperial  Court,  have  been 
referred  to  at  page  83.  Throughout  all  history  until  the 
accession  of  the  present  Emperor  they  formed  a class  by 
themselves,  entirely  distinct  from,  and  in  rank  and  lineage 
far  above,  the  territorial  nobles,  only  a few  of  whom  (among 


362 


APPENDIX  I 


whom  the  Tokugawas  were  included)  could  claim  a share  in 
their  descent  from  the  Emperors.  After  the  Restoration  in 
1868  they  were  formed  into  one  class  with  the  Daimios, 
under  the  title  of  Kwazoku  or  Peers.  There  were  then 
one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  families  of  Kugds,  of  whom 
no  less  than  ninety-five  claim  to  be  of  the  Fujiwara  blood 
and  descended  therefore  from  the  God,  Ama  tsu  Koyane, 
who  accompanied  Ninigi  in  his  descent  to  earth  from 
Heaven.  In  the  time  of  Tokiyori  (1246-1256) — the  fifth  of 
the  Hojo  regents — the  Fujiwara  had  increased  so  largely 
that  they  were  divided  into  five  branch  families,  to  whom 
were  given  the  family  names  or  titles  of  Konoye,  Ichijo, 
Kujo,  Nijo,  and  Takatsukasa,  the  first  three,  names  that 
had  been  previously  held  by  Emperors,  and  these  were 
called  the  Go  Sekkei,  or  five  regent  families,  from  among 
whom  a Court  regent  could  be  selected  during  the  minority 
of  an  Emperor,  to  act  for  him  in  all  matters  in  which  the 
Imperial  interference  was  necessary.  When  the  modern 
peerage  was  created  in  1884,  the  highest  rank,  that  of 
Prince  or  Duke,  was  conferred  on  the  heads  of  these  five 
families.  They  are  still  regarded  as  the  noblest  in  the 
Empire,  both  on  account  of  their  ancient  lineage  and  their 
long  history,  as  well  as  from  their  present  position,  and 
the  Empresses  have  been  frequently  chosen  from  their 
daughters,  the  present  Empress  being  a daughter  of  Prince 
Ichijo,  and  the  Crown  Princess  a daughter  of  Prince  Kujo. 

The  remaining  families  of  the  Kugds  of  Fujiwara  descent 
have  been  gradually  founded  by  younger  sons  of  one  of 
these  branches,  just  as  the  families  who  are  not  of  Fujiwara 
blood,  such  as  the  Sugiwara  and  Kiowara,  were  founded 
by  the  younger  sons  of  reigning  Emperors.  Throughout 
the  long  State  impotency  of  the  Imperial  Court,  the  Kug^s 
naturally  suffered  with  their  Imperial  masters,  and  were 
both  poor  and  without  influence  on  the  destinies  of  the 
Empire ; but,  just  as  the  Emperors  throughout  all  their 
obscurity  remained  the  fount  of  honour  and  law,  so  did  the 
Kuges  conserve  all  their  pride  and  prestige  of  long  descent 
and  Court  honour,  and  were  always  regarded  as  almost 
immeasurable  superiors  of  the  wealthy  and  powerful  Daimios. 
It  was  the  highest  ambition  of  the  greatest  of  the  latter  to 
obtain  even  the  smallest  offices  of  the  Imperial  Court  which 
the  Kug£s  regarded  as  their  own  peculiar  appanage,  and  as 
the  latter,  living  at  the  Court,  in  daily  contact,  if  not  with 
the  Emperor,  with  his  highest  officials,  were  often  able  to 


APPENDIX  I 


363 


exercise  considerable  influence  in  the  bestowal  of  these 
offices,  their  favour  was  largely  conciliated  with  rich  pre- 
sents and  their  daughters  sought  in  marriage  by  the 
Daimios.  Many  of  them  added  to  the  scanty  doles,  which 
they  received  from  the  Imperial  exchequer,  by  giving  lessons 
in  Court  etiquette  or  polite  accomplishments  for  which  even 
the  members  of  the  Shogun’s  Court  were  glad  to  pay  hand- 
somely. Some  practised  the  fine  arts,  and  sold  their  paint- 
ings or  triumphs  of  ornate  penmanship.  Some  were  abbots 
or  abbesses  of  great  temples.  On  the  other  hand,  they  were 
free  from  the  burthens  of  the  Daimios  in  having  no  armies 
of  feudal  retainers  to  support,  no  extensive  domains  or 
castles  to  keep  up,  no  costly  journeys  to  undertake  to  Yedo, 
and  their  poverty  had  at  least  one  good  result — it  prevented 
them  falling  into  physical  and  mental  degeneration  and 
becoming  mere  sensualists,  as  did  so  many  of  the  Daimios, 
and  when  the  Restoration  of  1868  gave  them  their  chance, 
many  of  them  stepped  into  the  foremost  places  of  official 
life,  and  several  are  at  the  present  day  high  in  the 
Government. 


APPENDIX  II 

THE  DYNASTIES  OF  THE  SHOGUNS 


From  the  seventh  to  the  twelfth  centuries  the  Government 
was  administered  by  the  successive  heads  of  the  Fujiwara 
family.  In  1161  Kiyomori,  the  head  of  the  Taira  family, 
assumed  the  executive  after  the  defeat  of  the  Minamoto, 
and  held  it  till  his  death  in  1181,  and  it  was  also  held  by 
his  son  and  successor  till  1185,  when  the  Taira  were  over- 
thrown and  destroyed  by  the  Minamoto.  In  1192  Yoritomo, 
the  head  of  the  Minamoto,  received  from  the  Emperor 
Go  Toba  the  appointment  of  Sei-i-Tai-Shogun — Barbarian- 
repressing generalissimo — and  became  the  first  of  the 
Shoguns,  who  continued  to  govern,  as  Vice-Gerents  of  the 
Emperor,  either  directly  or  through  regents,  till  1868,  with 
the  exception  of  the  period  1573-1603.  The  following  are 
the  dynasties  of  the  Shoguns  : — 


I.  The  Minamoto  Family  (1185-1219) 


Yoritomo 1192-1199  Governed  from  1185,  but  was  only  ap- 

pointed Shogun  by  the  Emperor  in 
1 192. 

Yoriiye,  eldest  son  of  1199-1203  Deposed  and  murdered  by  his  maternal 
Yoritomo  grandfather. 

Sanetomo,  second  son  1203-1219  Assassinated  by  his  • nephew,  Yoriiye’s 
of  Yoritomo  son. 


II.  Hojo  Family  (1220-1337) 

None  of  the  HojO  family  ever  assumed  the  title  of  Shogun, 
but  they  carried  on  the  Government  as  Shikken  (Regents)  1 in 
the  name  of  the  Shoguns  appointed,  on  their  nomination,  by 
the  Emperors.  The  nominees  were  invariably  boys  or  even 

1 Shikken  literally  means  “Power  Holder.” 

364 


APPENDIX  {II 


365 


children,  the  first  two  scions  of  the  Fujiwara  and  the  other 
three  of  the  Imperial  families,  who  were  deposed  on  arriving 
at  manhood,  or  as  soon  afterwards  as  they  showed  any  spirit 
of  impatience  at  the  Hojo  authority. 

The  names  of  the  Shoguns  and  the  contemporary  Regents 
were  : — 


SHOGUNS 


Fujiwara  Yoritsune 

Fujiwara  Yoritsugu 

Prince  Munetaka  (son 
of  the  Emperor  Go 
Saga) 

Prince  Koreyasu  (son 
of  Munetaka) 

Prince  Hisaakira  (third 
son  of  the  Emperor 
Go  Fukakusa) 

Prince  Morikuni  (son 
of  Hisaakira) 


1220-1244  Age  at  accession,  9 — deposed  and  sent 
back  to  Kioto  under  a guard. 

1 244-1 25 1 Age  at  accession,  6 — deposed. 

1251-1266  Age  at  accession,  13 — deposed. 


1266-12S9  Deposed  and  sent  to  Kioto,  heels  up- 
wards, in  a palanquin,  by  the  Regent 
Sadatoki. 

1289-130S  Age  at  accession,  16 — deposed. 


130S-1333  Age  at  accession,  7 — deposed,  and  died 
after  the  taking  of  Kamakura. 


REGENTS 


1.  Tokimasa 


1 1 99- 1 205 


2. 

Yoshitoki  . . 

. 1205-1224 

3- 

Yasutoki 

. 1225-1240 

4- 

Tsunetoki  . 

. 1242-1246 

5- 

Tokiyori  . . 

. 1246-1256 

6. 

Nagatoki  . . 

. 1256-1270 

7- 

Tokimune  . 

, . 1270-1284 

8. 

Sadatoki  . . 

. 1284-1301 

9- 

Morotoki  . . 

. 1300-1311 

10. 

Takatoki 

• *315-1333 

Did  not  assume  the  title  of  Regent,  but 
governed  from  the  death  of  Yoritomo. 
In  1205  he  nominally  retired  from 
active  life  in  favour  of  his  son  Yoshi- 
toki,  but  continued  to  exercise  his 
influence  till  his  death  in  1215. 

Son  of  Yoshitoki. 

Grandson  of  Yasutoki. 

Brother  of  Tsunetoki,  abdicated  and  died 
1263,  aged  37. 

Nephew  of  Tokiyori. 

Son  of  Tokiyori. 

Son  of  Tokimune — succeeded  at  the  age 
of  14 — abdicated  and  became  a priest, 
but  continued  to  direct  till  his  death  in 
1311- 

Grandson  of  Tokiyori. 

Son  of  Sadatoki — killed  himself  when 
Kamakura  was  taken — Takatoki  being 
only  nine  years  of  age  at  Morotoki’s 
death,  the  regency  was  conducted  by 
commissioners  till  1315. 


366 


APPENDIX  II 


III.  The  Ashikaga  Family  (1333-1573) 


1.  Takauji  . . 

2.  Yoshiaki 

3.  Yoshimitsu  . 

4.  Yoshimochi. 

5.  Yoshikatsu  . 


6.  Yoshinori  . 

7.  Yoshikatsu  . 


8.  Yoshimasa  . 

9.  Yoshikisa  . 

10.  Yoshitane  . 

11.  Yoshisumi  . 


12.  Yoshiharu  . 

13.  Yoshiteru  . 

14.  Yoshiaki 


1333-1357 

1358-1367 

1368-1393 

1394-1422 

1423-1425 


1428-1441 

1441-1443 


1443-1473 

1473-1489 

1490-1493 

1494-1507 


1521-1545 

1546-1567 

1568-1573 


Founder  of  the  dynasty  — appointed 
Shogun  in  1335. 


The  second,  third  and  fourth  Shoguns 
each  abdicated  in  favour  of  his  son. 
Yoshikatsu,  the  fifth,  died  at  the  age 
of  nineteen,  and  his  father,  Yoshimochi, 
then  resumed  office  and  held  it  till  his 
death  in  1428,  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  his  younger  brother. 

Died  while  still  a youth,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  brother — both  were  sons 
of  Yoshinori. 

Abdicated  in  favour  of  his  son. 

Died  ; succeeded  by  his  brother. 

Deposed  by  his  own  ministers  in  favour  of 
his  son. 

Deposed,  and  his  father  restored  to  office, 
which  he  again  held  till  his  death  in 
1521. 

Abdicated  in  favour  of  his  son. 

Murdered. 

Deposed  by  Nobunaga  and  bereft  of  all 
power  ; but,  though  retired  to  a monas- 
tery, continued  to  hold  the  title  of 
Shogun  till  his  death  in  1597. 


IV.  Interregnum  of  the  Shoguns  (1573-1603) 

1.  Nobunaga  . . . 1573-1582 

2.  Hideyoshi  . . . 1586-1598  Between  1582  and  1586  Hideyoshi 

governed  in  the  name  of  Nobunaga’s 
grandson,  a child. 

3.  Hideyori  ....  1598-1600  Government  carried  on  by  a council  in 

the  name  of  Hideyori,  a child.  In 
1600  Iyeyasu  overthrew  the  council, 
and  took  the  Government  into  his  own 
hands,  but  was  not  appointed  Shogun 
by  the  Emperor  till  1603. 


APPENDIX  II 


367 


V.  The  Tokugavva  Family  (1600-1868) 


1.  Iyeyasu  ....  1600-1605  The  founder  of  the  dynasty.  Governed 

from  1600,  but  was  not  appointed 
.Shogun  by  the  Emperor  till  1603.  In 
1605  he  abdicated  in  favour  of  his  son, 
but  continued  himself  to  direct  the 
government  till  his  death  in  1616. 


2. 

Hidetada  . . 

. 1605-1623 

Abdicated;  died  1632. 

3- 

Iyemitsu  . . 

. 1623-1651 

Abdicated  ; died  1652. 

4- 

Iyetsuna.  . . 

. 1651-1680 

5- 

Tsunayoshi  . 

. 1681-1709 

Murdered  by  his  wife. 

6. 

Iyenobu . . 

. 1709-1712 

7- 

Iyetsugu . . . 

. 1713-1716 

8. 

Yoshimune  . . 

. 1717-1744 

Abdicated;  died  1751. 

9- 

Iyeshige . 

. 1745-1762 

10. 

Iyeharu  . . . 

. 1762-1786 

11. 

Iyenari  . . 

. 1787-1836 

Abdicated : died  1S41. 

12. 

Iyeyoshi . . . 

. 1837-1852 

13- 

Iyesada  . . 

. 1853-1858 

14. 

Iyemochi 

. 1858-1866 

i5- 

Yoshinobu  . . 

. 1866-1868 

Known  also  as  Keiki — that  being  the 

Sinico-Japanese  pronunciation  of  the 
Chinese  characters  in  which  his  name 
is  written — and  as  Hitotsubashi,  from 
the  fact  that  he  was,  in  his  youth, 
adopted  into  the  family  of  that  name. 
The  last  of  the  Shoguns — still  living. 


APPENDIX  III 


LIST  OF  PROVINCES 

In  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Seimei  (a.d.  130-190)  Japan, 
as  far  as  it  was  then  known,  was  divided  into  thirty-two 
provinces,  and  in  that  of  Mommu  (697-707)  the  number  was 
increased  to  sixty-six  by  the  subdivision  of  some  of  the  old 
and  the  additions,  which  increased  geographical  knowledge 
enabled  to  be  made,  of  new  provinces. 

One  of  the  results  of  the  invasion  of  Korea  by  the  Empress 
Jingo  was  the  classification  of  the  provinces  into  circuits 
on  the  Chinese  system  which  was  in  use  in  Korea,  and  the 
arrangement  made  by  her,  with  some  modifications  intro- 
duced by  her  successors,  continued  in  force  till  1872. 

The  circuits  were  as  follows  : — 

1.  The  Go  Kinai  or  five  Home  Provinces,  the  provinces 

that  lay  immediately  around  the  capital — 

Yamashiro,  Yamato,  Kawachi,  Idzumi  and  Setsu. 
The  Go  Kinai  stood  apart  and  were,  strictly  speak- 
ing, not  a circuit,  but  are  for  convenience’  sake 
here  included  in  the  general  list. 

2.  The  Tokaido  or  Eastern  Sea  Circuit,  the  fifteen  pro- 

vinces extending  from  the  Northern  Frontier  of 
Yamato  along  the  east  coast  of  the  main  island  to 
Hitachi,  the  northern  frontier  of  which  was  about 
one  hundred  miles  north  of  Tokio— 

Iga,  Ise,  Shima,  Owari,  Mikawa,  Totomi,  Suruga, 
Idzu,  Kai,  Sagami,  Musashi.  Awa,  Kadzusa, 
Shimosa  and  Hitachi. 

3.  The  Tozando  or  Eastern  Mountain  circuit ; eight  pro- 

vinces, extending  from  the  extreme  north  of  the  main 
island  through  its  centre  as  far  as  Lake  Biwa.  The 
first  two  were  subsequently  subdivided  into  seven 
provinces — 

Mutsu,  Dewa,  Kodzukd,  Shimotsuk^,  Shinano, 
Hida,  Mino  and  Omi. 

368 


APPENDIX  III 


SG9 


4.  The  Hokurikudo  or  Northern  Land  Circuit;  seven 

provinces  all  lying  along  the  west  coast  and  includ- 
ing the  Island  of  Sado — 

Sado,  Yechigo,  Yechiu,  Noto,  Kaga,  Yechizen  and 
Wakasa. 

5.  The  Sanindo  or  Mountain  Back  Circuit ; eight  pro- 

vinces on  or  touching  the  south-west  coast  of  the 
main  island — 

Tamba,  Tango,  Tajima,  Inaba,  Hoki,  Izumo, 
Iwami  and  the  Oki  Islands. 

6.  The  Sanyodo  or  Mountain  Front  Circuit;  eight  pro- 

vinces lying  along  the  north  shore  of  the  Inland  Sea 
from  Akashi  to  Shimonoseki,  except  Mimasaka,  which 
is  inland  and  does  not  touch  the  coast — 

Harima,  Mimasaka,  Bizen,  Bitchiu,  Bingo,  Aki, 
Suwo  and  Nagato. 

7.  The  Nankaido  or  Southern  Sea  Circuit;  six  provinces, 

one  in  the  extreme  south-east  of  the  main  island,  the 
Island  of  Awaji,  and  the  four  provinces  of  the  Island 
of  Shikoku — 

Ki,  Awaji,  Sanuki,  Iyo,  Tosa  and  Awa. 

8.  The  Saikaido  or  Western  Sea  Circuit,  the  nine  pro- 

vinces constituting  the  Island  of  Kiushiu — - 

Bungo,  Buzen,  Chikuzen,  Chikugo,  Hizen,  Higo, 
Satsuma,  Osumi  and  Hiuga. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  provinces  of  the  first  six  circuits 
are  all  in  the  main  island,  and  with  the  addition  of  the 
first  province  in  the  seventh,  constitute  the  whole  island. 
The  two  islands  of  Iki  and  Tsushima,  the  last  of  the  eight 
great  islands,  were  not  comprised  in  any  circuit.  The  above 
are  the  original  Japanese  names  of  the  provinces,  but  some 
are  more  commonly  mentioned  by  the  Chinese  reading  of  the 
first  syllable  of  their  Japanese  names  with  the  word  shiu 
(province)  attached  to  it.  Thus,  Nagato  is  much  better  known 
as  Choshiu,  Ki  as  Kishiu,  and  Shinano  as  Shinshiu,  than 
by  their  proper  Japanese  names.  The  “KuantO,”  so  fre- 
quently mentioned  in  the  text,  were  the  eight  provinces, 
Shimotsuke,  Kodsuke,  Hitachi,  Shimosa,  Kadzusa,  Awa, 
Musashi  and  Sagami,  which  lay  around  Yedo,  just  as  the 
Go  Kinai  lay  around  Kioto.  The  term  means  “ East  of  the 
Barrier,”  and  it  signifies  the  provinces  that  lay  to  the  east 
of  the  important  military  barrier  that  was  formerly  main- 
tained at  Azuka,  the  mountain  pass  between  the  provinces 


370 


APPENDIX  III 


of  Omi  and  Yamashiro,  which  all  persons  travelling  between 
Yedo  and  Kioto  had  to  cross. 

The  provinces  from  which  the  San  Kei  and  Kokushiu 
Daimios  1 took  their  titles  under  the  Tokugawa  administra- 
tion were  Owari,  Ki,  Mito  (these  three  were  the  San  Kei  or 
three  families),  Sendai,  Mutsu,  Kaga,  Omi,  Yechizen,  Aki, 
and  Choshiu  in  the  main  island ; Tosa  and  Awa  in  Shikoku ; 
Higo,  Hizen,  Satsuma,  Chikugo  and  Chikuzen  in  Kiushiu, 
and  the  Island  of  Tsushima. 

The  Island  of  Yezo  and  the  Chishima  Islands  to  the  north 
of  it  were  constituted  in  1868  a ninth  circuit  under  the  term 
Hokkaido  or  Northern  Sea  Circuit.  In  1872  the  whole 
country  was,  for  administrative  purposes,  divided  into  pre- 
fectures. Several  rearrangements  have  since  been  made, 
and  the  whole  number  of  prefectures  at  the  present  day  is 
forty-seven.  Their  official  titles,  which  were  given  quite 
irrespective  of  the  original  provincial  boundaries,  are  now  in 
general  use  for  geographical  purposes.  The  provincial 
nomenclature  belongs  to  Old  Japan. 

1 Vide  p.  225  and  307. 


APPENDIX  IV 


THE  LAWS  OF  SHOTOKU  DAISHI 

[The  following  version  of  the  Laws  o ShOtoku  Daishi  {vide  page  69)  is 
extracted  from  the  translation  of  the  Nihongi  by  Dr.  W.  G.  Aston,  published 
in  the  Transactions  of  the  Japan  Society,  London.  It  is  here  reprinted  with 
the  permission  of  the  Chairman  and  Council  of  the  Society.  While  called 
“ Laws”  by  the  Japanese,  it  is,  it  will  be  seen,  rather  a code  of  moral  precepts 
than  of  Laws.  As  such  it  is  still  held  in  high  veneration,  and  is  regarded  in  a 
somewhat  analogous  way  to  that  in  which  we  look  upon  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount.] 

I.  Harmony  is  to  be  valued,  and  an  avoidance  of  wanton 
opposition  to  be  honoured.  All  men  are  influenced  by  class- 
feelings,  and  there  are  few  who  are  intelligent.  Hence  there 
are  some  who  disobey  their  lords  and  fathers,  or  who  main- 
tain feuds  with  the  neighbouring  villages.  But  when  those 
above  are  harmonious  and  those  below  are  friendly,  and 
there  is  concord  in  the  discussion  of  business,  right  views  of 
things  spontaneously  gain  acceptance.  Then  what  is  there 
which  cannot  be  accomplished? 

II.  Sincerely  reverence  the  three  treasures.  The  three 
treasures,  viz.  Buddha,  the  Law  and  the  Priesthood,  are  the 
final  refuge  of  the  four  generated  beings,  and  are  the  supreme 
objects  of  faith  in  all  countries.  What  man  in  what  age 
can  fail  to  reverence  this  law?  Few  men  are  utterly  bad. 
They  may  be  taught  to  follow  it.  But  if  they  do  not  betake 
them  to  the  three  treasures,  wherewithal  shall  their  crooked- 
ness be  made  straight? 

III.  When  you  receive  the  Imperial  commands,  fail  not 
scrupulously  to  obey  them.  The  lord  is  Heaven,  the  vassal 
is  Earth.  Heaven  overspreads,  and  Earth  upbears.  When 
this  is  so,  the  four  seasons  follow  their  due  course,  and  the 
powers  of  Nature  obtain  their  efficacy.  If  the  Earth  at- 
tempted to  overspread,  Heaven  would  simply  fall  in  ruin. 
Therefore  is  it  that  when  the  lord  speaks,  the  vassal  listens ; 
when  the  superior  acts,  the  inferior  yields  compliance. 
Consequently  when  you  receive  the  Imperial  commands,  fail 

BB2  371 


372 


APPENDIX  IV 


not  to  carry  them  out  scrupulously.  Let  there  be  a want 
of  care  in  this  matter,  and  ruin  is  the  natural  consequence. 

IV.  The  Ministers  and  functionaries  should  make  decorous 
behaviour  their  leading  principle,  for  the  leading  principle 
of  the  government  of  the  people  consists  in  decorous  be- 
haviour. If  the  superiors  do  not  behave  with  decorum,  the 
inferiors  are  disorderly  : if  inferiors  are  wanting  in  proper 
behaviour,  there  must  necessarily  be  offences.  Therefore  it 
is  that  when  lord  and  vassal  behave  with  propriety,  the 
distinctions  of  rank  are  not  confused  : when  the  people 
behave  with  propriety,  the  Government  of  the  Common- 
wealth proceeds  of  itself. 

V.  Ceasing  from  gluttony  and  abandoning  covetous  desires, 
deal  impartially  with  the  suits  which  are  submitted  to  you. 
Of  complaints  brought  by  the  people  there  are  a thousand  in 
one  day.  If  in  one  day  there  are  so  many,  how  many  will 
there  be  in  a series  of  years?  If  the  man  who  is  to  decide 
suits  at  law  makes  gain  his  ordinary  motive,  and  hears  causes 
with  a view  to  receiving  bribes,  then  will  the  suits  of  the 
rich  man  be  like  a stone  flung  into  water,  while  the  plaints 
of  the  poor  will  resemble  water  cast  upon  a stone.  Under 
these  circumstances  the  poor  man  will  not  know  whither  to 
betake  himself.  Here  too  there  is  a deficiency  in  the  duty  of 
the  Minister. 

VI.  Chastise  that  which  is  evil  and  encourage  that  which 
is  good.  This  was  the  excellent  rule  of  antiquity.  Conceal 
not,  therefore,  the  good  qualities  of  others,  and  fail  not  to 
correct  that  which  is  wrong  when  you  see  it.  Flatterers 
and  deceivers  are  a sharp  weapon  for  the  overthrow  of  the 
State,  and  a pointed  sword  for  the  destruction  of  the  people. 
Sycophants  are  also  fond,  when  they  meet,  of  dilating  to 
their  superiors  on  the  errors  of  their  inferiors;  to  their 
inferiors,  they  censure  the  faults  of  their  superiors.  Men 
of  this  kind  are  all  wanting  in  fidelity  to  their  lord,  and  in 
benevolence  towards  the  people.  From  such  an  origin  great 
civil  disturbances  arise. 

VII.  Let  every  man  have  his  own  charge,  and  let  not  the 
spheres  of  duty  be  confused.  When  wise  men  are  entrusted 
with  office,  the  sound  of  praise  arises.  If  unprincipled  men 
hold  office,  disasters  and  tumults  are  multiplied.  In  this 
world,  few  are  born  with  knowledge  : wisdom  is  the  product 
of  earnest  meditation.  In  all  things,  whether  great  or  small, 
find  the  right  man,  and  they  will  surely  be  well  managed  : 
on  all  occasions,  be  they  urgent  or  the  reverse,  meet  but 


APPENDIX  IV 


373 


with  a wise  man,  and  they  will  of  themselves  be  amenable. 
In  this  way  will  the  State  be  lasting  and  the  Temples  of  the 
Earth  and  of  Grain  will  be  free  from  danger.  Therefore  did 
the  wise  sovereigns  of  antiquity  seek  the  man  to  fill  the 
office,  and  not  the  office  for  the  sake  of  the  man. 

VIII.  Let  the  Ministers  and  functionaries  attend  the  Court 
early  in  the  morning,  and  retire  late.  The  business  of  the 
State  does  not  admit  of  remissness,  and  the  whole  day  is 
hardly  enough  for  its  accomplishment.  If,  therefore,  the 
attendance  at  Court  is  late,  emergencies  cannot  be  met  : if 
officials  retire  soon,  the  work  cannot  be  completed. 

IX.  Good  faith  is  the  foundation  of  right.  In  everything 
let  there  be  good  faith,  for  in  it  there  surely  consists  the 
good  and  the  bad,  success  and  failure.  If  the  lord  and  the 
vassal  observe  good  faith  one  with  another,  what  is  there 
which  cannot  be  accomplished?  If  the  lord  and  the  vassal 
do  not  observe  good  faith  towards  one  another,  everything 
without  exception  ends  in  failure. 

X.  Let  us  cease  from  wrath,  and  refrain  from  angry  looks. 
Nor  let  us  be  resentful  when  others  differ  from  us.  For  all 
men  have  hearts,  and  each  heart  has  its  own  leanings.  Their 
right  is  our  wrong,  and  our  right  is  their  wrong.  We  are 
not  unquestionably  sages,  nor  are  they  unquestionably  fools. 
Both  of  us  are  simply  ordinary  men.  How  can  any  one  lay 
down  a rule  by  which  to  distinguish  right  from  wrong?  For 
we  are  all,  one  with  another,  wise  and  foolish,  like  a ring 
which  has  no  end.  Therefore,  although  others  give  way  to 
anger,  let  us  on  the  contrary  dread  our  own  faults,  and 
though  we  alone  may  be  in  the  right,  let  us  follow  the 
multitude  and  act  like  them. 

XI.  Give  clear  appreciation  to  merit  and  demerit,  and  deal 
out  to  each  its  sure  reward  or  punishment.  In  these  days, 
reward  does  not  attend  upon  merit,  nor  punishment  upon 
crime.  Ye  high  functionaries  who  have  charge  of  public 
affairs,  let  it  be  your  task  to  make  clear  rewards  and 
punishments. 

XII.  Let  not  the  provincial  authorities  or  the  Kuni  no 
Miyakko  1 levy  exactions  on  the  people.  In  a country  there 
are  not  two  lords ; the  people  have  not  two  masters.  The 
sovereign  is  the  master  of  the  people  of  the  whole  country. 
The  officials  to  whom  he  gives  charge  are  all  his  vassals. 
How  can  they,  as  well  as  the  Government,  presume  to  levy 
taxes  on  the  people? 

1 Kuni  no  Miyakko, ?the  local  governors  of  the  Provinces. 


374 


APPENDIX  IV 


XIII.  Let  all  persons  entrusted  with  office  attend  equally 
to  their  functions.  Owing  to  their  illness  or  to  their  being 
sent  on  missions,  their  work  may  sometimes  be  neglected. 
But  whenever  they  become  able  to  attend  to  business,  let 
them  be  as  accommodating  as  if  they  had  had  cognizance  of 
it  from  before,  and  not  hinder  public  affairs  on  the  score  of 
their  not  having  had  to  do  with  them. 

XIV.  Ye  ministers  and  functionaries  ! Be  not  envious. 
For  if  we  envy  others,  they  in  turn  will  envy  us.  The  evils 
of  envy  know  no  limit.  If  others  excel  us  in  intelligence,  it 
gives  us  no  pleasure ; if  they  surpass  us  in  ability,  we  are 
envious.  Therefore  it  is  not  until  after  a lapse  of  five 
hundred  years  that  we  at  last  meet  with  a wise  man,  and 
even  in  a thousand  years  we  hardly  obtain  one  sage.  But 
if  we  do  not  find  wise  men  and  sages,  wherewithal  shall  the 
country  be  governed? 

XV.  To  turn  away  from  that  which  is  private,  and  to  set 
our  face  towards  that  which  is  public — this  is  the  path  of  a 
Minister.  Now  if  a man  is  influenced  by  private  motives,  he 
will  assuredly  feel  resentments,  and  if  he  is  influenced  by 
resentful  feelings,  he  will  assuredly  fail  to  act  harmoniously 
with  others.  If  he  fails  to  act  harmoniously  with  others,  he 
will  assuredly  sacrifice  the  public  interests  to  his  private 
feelings.  When  resentment  arises,  it  interferes  with  order, 
and  is  subversive  of  law.  Therefore  in  the  first  clause  it  was 
said,  that  superiors  and  inferiors  should  agree  together. 
The  purport  is  the  same  as  this. 

XVI.  Let  the  people  be  employed  (in  forced  labour)  at 
seasonable  times.  This  is  an  ancient  and  excellent  rule. 
Let  them  be  employed,  therefore,  in  the  winter  months, 
when  they  are  at  leisure.  But  from  Spring  to  Autumn, 
when  they  are  engaged  in  agriculture  or  with  the  mulberry 
trees,  the  people  should  not  be  so  employed.  But  if  they 
do  not  attend  to  agriculture,  what  will  they  have  to  eat? 
if  they  do  not  attend  to  the  mulberry  trees,  what  will  they 
do  for  clothing? 

XVII.  Decisions  on  important  matters  should  not  be  made 
by  one  person  alone.  They  should  be  discussed  with  many. 
But  small  matters  are  of  less  consequence.  It  is  unnecessary 
to  consult  a number  of  people.  It  is  only  in  the  case  of  the 
discussion  of  weighty  affairs,  when  there  is  a suspicion  that 
they  may  miscarry,  that  one  should  arrange  matters  in  concert 
with  others,  so  as  to  arrive  at  the  right  conclusion. 


APPENDIX  V 


THE  LEGACY  OF  IYEYASU 

[The  following  translation  of  the  Legacy  of  Iyeyasu  was  made  by  the  late 
Mr.  J.  F.  Lowder,  formerly  H.M.  Consul  at  Yokohama,  and  published  at 
Yokohama  in  pamphlet  form  in  1874.  It  has  never  been  published  in 
England,  and  as  the  original  edition  has  been  long  out  of  print,  it  is  here 
reprinted,  with  the  consent  of  the  widow  of  the  translator,  leaving  out  some 
chapters  which  deal  only  with  items  of  administrative  detail.  The  explanatory 
notes  are  by  the  present  writer.] 

This  manuscript,  consisting  of  one  hundred  chapters,  was 
written  by  Toshogu  of  Kuno,  in  the  province  of  Suruga. 
It  is  contained  in  the  Imperial  depository,  and  may  not  be 
seen  by  any  but  the  Gorojiu,  who  profoundly  secreting  it 
even  when  wdthin  the  precincts  of  the  official  residence  in 
order  to  conceal  it  from  the  sight  of  others,  shall  reflect 
upon,  and  record  it  in  their  hearts.1 


Chapt.  I. — It  is  necessary  before  all  to  apply  the  undivided 
attention  of  the  mind  to  that  which  is  naturally  distasteful, 
setting  aside  one’s  own  inclinations. 

Chapt.  II. — Show  special  commiseration  for  the  widower, 
the  widow,  the  orphan  and  the  lone ; for  this  is  the  founda- 
tion of  charitable  government. 

Chapt.  III. — Keep  your  heart  pure;  and  as  long  as  your 
body  shall  exist,  be  diligent  in  paying  honour  and  veneration 
to  the  gods. 

1 This  heading,  which  is  that  of  the  copy  preserved  in  the  Court  of  the 
Shogun,  is  not  part  of  the  original  manuscript.  Toshdgu  is  the  posthumous 
name  of  Iyeyasu,  the  name  that  is  bestowed  after  death  by  the  Buddhist  priests. 
Kuno  is  the  name  of  the  temple  near  Shidzuoka  in  which  Iyeyasu  was  first 
buried,  prior  to  the  erection  of  the  great  mausoleum  at  Nikko,  in  which  many 
people  say  that  his  remains  still  rest,  only  a hair  of  his  head  having  been 
carried  to  Nikko. 


375 


376 


APPENDIX  V 


Chapt.  IV. — In  future  ages,  in  the  event  of  there  being 
no  direct  successor  to  a dynasty,  the  Chief  Councillors  of 
Ii,  Honda,  Sakakibara,  and  Sakai,1  will  assemble  in  confer- 
ence; and  after  mutual  deliberation  and  consultation,  un- 
biassed by  considerations  of  consanguinity  or  affinity,  choose 
a fit  and  proper  person,  and  duly  insure  the  succession. 

Chapt.  V. — The  etiquette  to  be  observed  upon  being  in- 
stalled as  Sei-Shogun,  is  to  be  patterned  after  the  example 
of  the  Lord  of  Kamakura  (Yoritomo). 

The  whole  amount  of  the  revenue  of  the  Empire  of  Japan 
is  28,190,000  koku  [of  rice].  Of  this  20,000,000  is  to  be 
divided  among  the  Daimio  and  Shomio  who  render  faithful 
service,  and  the  remaining  8,190,000  koku  form  the  public 
revenue,  which  should  provide  for  the  effectual  protection 
of  the  Emperor,  and  for  keeping  in  subjection  the  barbarians 
of  the  four  coasts.2 

Chapt.  VI. — Although  it  has  been  said  that  ancient 
customs  are  to  be  preserved  as  laid  down  in  the  several 
articles  of  the  laws  framed  for  the  military  classes,  these 
may  be  modified  or  supplemented  as  it  becomes  beneficial. 

Chapt.  VII. — The  Fudai  are  those  samurai  who  followed 
me,  and  proffered  me  their  fealty  before  the  overthrow  of 
the  castle  of  Osaka,  in  the  province  of  Sesshiu. 

The  Tozama  are  those  samurai  who  returned  and  sub- 
mitted to  me  after  its  downfall,  of  whom  there  are  86. 

There  are  8,023  Fudai  cavalry-lancers.  Besides  these  there 
are  eighteen  samurai  of  my  own  house,  and  five  Guests  of 
honour. 

This  division  is  recorded,  that  they  be  not  regarded  as  all 
holding  the  same  position. 

Chapt.  VIII  (Omitted). — Describes  the  castle  at  Yedo  and  its  guards. 
Chapt.  IX  (Omitted). — Names  the  Fudai  samurai  who  accompanied  Iyeyasu 
from  his  ancestral  seat  at  Mikawa,  and  directs  that  the  members  of  the 
Gorojiu  shall  be  chosen  from  them. 

Chapt.  X. — The  Fudai  Samurai,  great  and  small,  all  have 
shown  the  utmost  fidelity,  even  suffering  their  bones  to  be 
ground  to  powder,  and  their  flesh  to  be  chopped  up  for  me. 

1 The  four  leading  Fudai  Daimios ; Ii,  the  first  named,  was  the  ancestor  of 
Ii  Kamon  no  Kami,  in  whose  family  the  office  of  Tairo  or  regent  for  the 
Shogun  was  hereditary. 

2 Public  revenue  means  the  revenue  of  the  Shogun’s  Government,  the  chief 
duties  of  which  were  to  guard  the  Emperor  from  danger,  and  to  preserve  peace 
in  every  quarter  of  the  Empire.  Rice  was  the  standard  of  value,  and  one 
koku  at  that  period  was  worth  about  fifteen  shillings. 


APPENDIX  V 


377 


In  what  way  soever  their  posterity  may  offend, — for  any- 
thing less  than  actual  treason,  their  estate  may  not  be 
confiscated. 

Chapt.  XI. — If  there  be  any  one,  be  he  Kokushi,  Rioshiu, 
or  Joshiu,1  Tozama  or  Fudai — none  are  excepted- — who  shall 
disobey  the  laws,  to  the  injury  of  the  people,  his  territory 
or  castle  shall  immediately  be  confiscated,  that  martial 
severity  may  be  reverenced.  This  is  a part  of  the  Shogun’s 
duty. 

Chapt.  XII. — In  order  to  prevent  any  misunderstanding 
as  to  precedence  among  officers  of  the  higher  grades  of  the 
same  seniority,  it  is  decreed  that  they  take  order  according 
to  the  amount  of  their  revenue.  [This  does  not  apply  to 
the  Gorojiu  and  Wakadoshiyori.] 

Chapt.  XIII. — The  magistrates  of  the  Civil  and  Criminal 
Courts  are  reflectors  of  the  mode  of  Government.  The 

persons  invested  with  this  office  should  be  chosen  from  a 
class  of  men  who  are  upright  and  pure,  distinguished  for 
charity  and  benevolence.  Once  every  month  one  of  the 
Gorojiu  should  be  sent  unexpectedly,  to  inquire  into  their 
mode  of  administration ; or  the  Shogun  should  himself  go 
unexpectedly,  and  investigate  and  decide  the  case  on  hand. 

Chapt.  XIV  (Omitted). — Table  of  precedence  among  the  officials  of  the 
Shogun’s  Government. 

Chapt.  XV. — In  my  youth,  my  sole  aim  was  to  conquer 
and  subjugate  inimical  provinces,  and  to  take  revenge  upon 
the  enemies  of  my  ancestors.  Yuyo  teaches,  however,  that 
“to  assist  the  people  is  to  give  peace  to  the  Empire,”  and 
since  I have  come  to  understand  that  the  precept  is  founded 
on  sound  principle,  I have  undeviatingly  followed  it.  Let 
my  posterity  hold  fast  this  principle.  Any  one  turning  his 
back  upon  it  is  no  descendant  of  mine. 

The  People  are  the  foundation  of  the  Empire. 

Chapt.  XVI. — The  reclamation  and  filling  in  of  new 
ground  was  originated  in  the  time  of  Yoritomo;  and  there 
are  doubtless  ancient  regulations  extant,  bearing  upon  this 
subject.  Petitions  having  in  view  the  recovery  of  land 
should  be  taken  into  consideration,  and  no  opposition  should 
be  made  to  them;  but  if  there  exists  the  slightest  objection, 
according  to  ancient  usages,  it  is  strictly  prohibited  to 
entertain  them. 


1 Vide  page  225. 


378 


APPENDIX  V 


Chapt.  XVII. — In  the  absence  of  precedent,  forbid  the 
making  of  new  ground,  new  water  courses,  and  so  forth, 
and  framing  of  any  new  measures  of  what  kind  soever. 
Know  that  disturbances  always  arise  from  such  innovations. 

Chapt.  XVIII. — It  is  forbidden  to  alter  a faulty  regulation 
if,  through  inadvertency,  it  has  been  allowed  to  remain  in 
force  during  fifty  years. 

Chapt.  XIX. — There  will  always  be  some  individual  of 
ancient  lineage  to  be  found  living  among  the  lower  classes 
of  district  towns  and  hamlets.  Such  a one  as  this  should 
be  selected  for  appointment  to  minor  official  situations ; 
but  care  should  be  taken  not  to  choose  refugees  and  the  like. 

The  import  of  this  should  be  notified  to  the  Tax-Collector- 
ates  particularly;  and  also  to  Kokushi,  Rioshu,  Jito,1  and 
downwards. 

Chapt.  XX.— The  Daimio  and  Shomio  of  the  Fudai  and 
Tozama  classes  who  do  not  hold  official  appointments,  are 
divided  into  two  halves.  One  of  these  is  to  reside  in  Yedo, 
until  relieved  by  the  other. 

When  relieved,  they  are  to  employ  their  period  of  rest  in 
making  a tour  of  inspection  into  the  prosperity  or  adversity 
of  the  population  of  their  territories. 

Those  on  service  should  be  entrusted  with  the  various 
duties  connected  with  the  castle,  and  the  protection  of  the 
outer  enclosures.  They  should  lend  assistance  in  repairing 
rents  and  damages,  in  the  erection  of  new  buildings,  and  in 
extinguishing  fires,  and  so  on. 

These  duties  are  not  exacted  solely  for  myself  or  my 
house;  but  for  the  Shogun,  whose  duty  it  is  to  protect  and 
defend  the  Emperor. 

Chapt.  XXI. — The  modes  of  commending  virtue  and 
rewarding  merit  are  : 

i st — Grant  of  name  or  title  [often  bestowed  after  death]. 

2nd — Spoken  commendation. 

3rd — Rank  and  Revenue. 

4th — Official  situation. 

5th — Minor  superintendencies. 

The  modes  of  punishing  crime  for  the  repression  of  vice 
are  : 

1st — Branding  (or  tattooing). 

2nd — Splitting  the  nose. 

3rd — Banishment. 


1 Jito  = lord  of  a district 


APPENDIX  V 


379 


4th — Transportation. 

5th — Imprisonment. 

6th — Decapitation  and  exposition  of  the  head. 

7th — Crucifixion  and  transfixion. 

8th — Burning. 

9th — Decapitation,  and  so  on. 

These  rewards  are  to  be  bestowed  and  punishments  to  be 
inflicted  only  after  a strict  investigation  into  the  merits  of 
commendable  or  criminal  conduct ; and  although  a notifica- 
tion to  the  above  effect  has  been  issued  to  the  Courts  of 
Law,  particular  pains  should  be  taken  to  impress  it  upon 
their  strict  observance. 

The  infliction  of  the  severe  punishments  of  tying  a 
criminal’s  legs  to  two  oxen,  and  driving  them  in  different 
directions,  and  of  boiling  in  oil,  is  not  within  the  power  of  the 
Shogun. 

Chapt.  XXII. — You  should  not  hastily  attach  to  your 
person  officers  of  the  higher  grades  who  are  ever  ready  and 
obedient ; nor  should  you  precipitately  dismiss  the  luke- 
warm. They  should  be  attached  or  dismissed  in  a quiet 
way,  after  due  consideration  of  the  behaviour  of  each,  and 
consultation  with  theGorojiu.  Neither  should  be  done  in  a 
hurried  or  inconsiderate  manner. 

Chapt.  XXIII. — It  has  been  said  of  old,  “Although  advised 
on  all  sides  to  put  to  death,  put  not  to  death  : but  when  all 
the  people  of  the  country  advise  capital  punishment,  inflict 
it  only  after  reiterated  investigation  into  the  merits  of  the 
case  in  question. 

“Though  advised  on  all  sides  to  confer  reward,  confer 
not  reward ; but  when  all  the  people  of  the  country  advise 
the  bestowal  of  reward,  concede  only  after  reiterated  inquiry 
into  the  merits  of  the  case  in  question.” 

The  art  of  governing  a country  consists  in  the  manifesta- 
tion of  due  deference  on  the  part  of  a suzerain  towards  his 
vassals.  Know  that  if  you  turn  your  back  upon  this,  you 
will  be  assassinated,  and  the  Empire  will  be  lost. 

Chapt.  XXIV. — Although  a person  of  former  days  depre- 
cates the  custom  of  fishing  with  divers,  and  of  hawking, 
such  sauntering  for  amusement  does  not  entail  a needless 
destruction  of  life.  “The  tribute  offering,  by  noblemen,  of 
the  spoil  of  the  hunt  and  of  the  chase  to  the  Emperor  ” is 
an  ancient  custom  among  the  military  class  of  other  countries 
as  well  as  of  Japan.  It  tends  to  render  soldiers  expert  in 
the  use  of  the  bow,  and  in  horsemanship ; and  in  times  of 


380 


APPENDIX  V 


great  peace  is  beneficially  remindful  of  the  excitement  of 
war.  It  is  a custom  which  should  not  be  discontinued. 

Chapt.  XXV. — Although  singing  and  instrumental  music 
are  not  the  calling  of  the  military  class,  at  times  they  ex- 
pand the  spirits,  and  relieve  depression,  and  are  delightful 
recreations  in  the  joyfulness  of  great  peace.  In  the  first 
festivals  of  the  years  and  months,  these  also  should  not  be 
discontinued. 

Chapt.  XXVI. — The  successive  generations  of  military 
chiefs  of  the  family  of  Gen,1  from  Sadazumi  Shin-no  down- 
wards, are  enshrined  at  Momijiyama  in  the  Western  In- 
closure, for  the  repression  of  evil  influences,  and  for  the 
protection  of  the  shrines  dedicated  to  ancestors  within  the 
boundaries  of  the  castle.  Future  generations  shall  pay 
them  the  highest  respect  and  veneration,  and  shall  be  diligent 
in  sacrificing  to,  and  worshipping  them. 

Chapt.  XXVII. — I,  although  the  offspring  of  Seiwa,  and 
born  in  the  family  of  Matsudaira  of  Mikawa,  was  overcome 
by  inimical  provinces,  and  for  a long  time  depressed  and  con- 
fined among  the  common  people.  Now,  I am  thankful  to 
say,  being  engirdled  with  the  favour  of  Heaven,  the  ancestral 
estate  of  Serata,  Nitta,  Tokugawa,  and  Matsudaira  have 
returned  to  me.  Henceforth  let  succeeding  generations 
venerate  these  four  families,  and  not  depart  from  the  teach- 
ing : — “ Let  there  be  a careful  attention  to  parents,  and  let 
them  be  followed  when  long  gone.” 

Chapt.  XXVIII. — Reverting  to  the  scenes  of  battle  at 
which  I have  been  present  during  my  career,  there  must 
have  occurred  eighty  or  ninety  hand  to  hand  encounters. 
Eighteen  times  have  I escaped  with  my  life  from  ten 
thousand  deaths. 

1 The  Minamoto  family.  Seiwa  was  the  fifty-sixth  Emperor  (859-877),  and 
Prince  Sadazumi  was  his  sixth  son,  from  whom  the  Minamoto  claimed  to  be 
descended.  One  of  the  Minamoto  founded  a branch  family  which  took  the 
surname  of  Nitta  from  its  estate  in  the  province  of  Hitachi.  The  branch  again 
subdivided  in  later  years  into  new  families  which  bore  the  surnames,  allTof 
geographical  origin,  of  Serata,  Tokugawa  and  Matsudaira,  and  Iyeyasu  was 
entitled  not  only  to  use  any  one  of  the  four  surnames,  but  that  also  of  Mina- 
moto. All  the  Kamon  daimio  (the  dairnio  of  the  house  and  blood  of  the 
Tokugawas),  exclusive  of  the  San  Kei,  bore  the  name  of  Matsudaira,  and  the 
name  is  largely  represented  in  the  new  peerage  of  the  present  day.  There 
is  an  omission  in  the  translation  here.  The  chapter  concludes  with  the  in- 
struction that  Tokugawa  should  thenceforward  be  the  distinguishing  name  of 
Iyeyasu’s  own  family.  Momijiyama  (Maple  Hill)  is  part  of  the  gardens  of  the 
castle  at  Yedo,  now  the  Imperial  palace. 


APPENDIX  V 


381 


On  this  account  I have  founded  eighteen  “Danrin”  (lit., 
sandal  groves,  or  temples)  1 at  Yedo  as  a thank-offering.  Let 
my  posterity  ever  be  of  the  honoured  sect  of  Jodo  (Buddhist 
sect). 

Chapt.  XXIX. — With  respect  to  the  temple  of  Yeizan  on 
the  East  of  the  Castle  in  the  Military  capital  (Yedo)  I have 
received  much  and  repeated  instruction  from  the  late  Daishi. 
Is  it  well  that  1 should  not  demonstrate  my  gratitude?  I 
have  reverentially  begged  for  him  the  office  of  Preceptor  of 
the  first  degree,  and  Chief  Priest  of  Tendai  and  have  offered 
up  prayers  and  supplications  that  wicked  resentment  may 
entirely  cease,  and  that  the  country  and  its  households  may 
enjoy  undisturbed  peace  and  harmony.2 

Chapt.  XXX. — The  Preceptor  w'ill  be  a sufficient  pro- 
vision for  the  defence  of  the  royal  castle ; and  in  the  event 
of  the  Imperial  residence  being  assailed  by  inimical  bar- 
barians, he  shall  be  elevated  to  the  “Throne  of  divine 
blessings,”  and  the  Shogun  shall  aid  and  assist  him  in 
subjugating  and  exterminating  them. 

Chapt.  XXXI.— High  and  low  alike  may  follow  their 
own  inclinations  with  respect  to  religious  tenets  which  have 
obtained  down  to  the  present  time,  except  as  regards  “ the 
false  and  corrupt  school  ” [Roman  Catholic].  Religious 
disputes  have  ever  proved  the  bane  and  misfortune  of  the 
Empire,  and  should  determinedly  be  put  a stop  to. 

1 These  temples  include  not  only  those  at  Shiba  and  Uyeno  in  Yedo,  but 
others  in  other  parts  of  the  Empire. 

2 Yeizan  is  the  temple  of  Toyeizan  at  Uyeno,  destroyed  in  the  last  fight  of  the 
war  of  the  Restoration  {vide  p.  347).  Daishi  is  the  highest  honorary  title  that 
can  be  given  to  a Buddhist  priest.  Tendai  is  one  of  the  great  Buddhist  sects. 
This  and  the  following  chapter  illustrate  the  far-seeing  policy  of  Iyeyasu.  The 
legality  of  his  office  depended  on  the  Emperor,  who,  living  at  Kioto,  might, 
though  he  was  always  closely  guarded  by  Iyeyasu’s  own  adherents  and  though 
all  the  territorial  princes  were  forbidden  access  to  him  or  even  to  visit  Kioto, 
some  time  fall  into  the  power  of,  or,  like  Go  Daigo,  join-enemies  to  the  Shogun- 
ate.  A prince  of  the  Imperial  family  was  therefore  always  installed  as  Chief 
Abbot  (or  Preceptor)  of  Toyeizan,  where  he  was  always  under  the  direct  eye 
of  the  Shogun,  so  that,  in  either  of  the  above  eventualities,  the  deposition  of  the 
Emperor  and  the  installation  of  the  Princely  Abbot  on  the  throne  might  be 
proclaimed  at  once.  When  the  adherents  of  the  last  of  the  Shoguns  were 
finally  driven  from  Yedo  in  1868  they  endeavoured  to  put  this  policy  in  force, 
and  carrying  the  Princely  Abbot  at  that  time  with  them  to  the  North,  they  pro- 
claimed him  as  Emperor.  Their  subsequent  defeat  rendered  the  policy  useless. 
The  Abbot  was  subsequently  known  as  Prince  Kita  Shirakawa.  He  forsook 
the  priesthood  for  the  army,  became  a distinguished  general,  and  died  while  in 
command  of  the  army  engaged  in  the  subjugation  of  Formosa  after  its  cession 
by  China. 


382 


APPENDIX  V 


Chapt.  XXXII. — The  families  of  Gen,  Pei,  To,  Kitsu,  the 
two  families  of  Kan  and  Ki-Ariwara  and  Kiowara,1  derive 
their  names  from  the  Supreme  Ruler  (Emperor).  It  would 
be  no  shameless  thing  if  one  among  these,  attaining  to  the 
military  command-in-chief,  although  apparently  possessing 
the  necessary  capability,  were  nevertheless  a man  void  of 
knowledge  and  erudition,  to  whom  the  path  of  wisdom  and 
virtue  is  dark,  all  whose  deliberations  proceed  from  his  own 
mind,  ignorant  of  the  military  accomplishments  necessary 
in  a military  man. 

From  time  to  time  colleges  should  be  instituted,  where 
by  self-exertion  others  may  be  stimulated  and  encouraged 
to  enter,  and  receive  virtuous  instruction. 

Chapt.  XXXIII. — The  way  to  govern  a country  and  to 
keep  an  Empire  tranquil  originally  proceeds  from  the  “Gate 
of  Perfection  of  Wisdom  ” (Confucian  teachings). 

To  endeavour  to  attain  to  literary  or  military  perfection  in 
any  other  path  is  like  “climbing  a tree  in  search  of  fish,  or 
plunging  into  the  water  to  look  for  fire.” 

Reflect  that  this  is  the  height  of  shallow-brained  stupidity. 

Chapt.  XXXIV. — There  is  always  a certain  amount  of 
sickness  among  the  population  of  the  Empire.  A sage  of 
old,  being  grieved  at  this,  established  a medical  code;  and 
although  there  may  be  proof,  in  the  effectual  cure  of  disease, 
that  others  have  drawn  from  this  stream,  such  should  not  be 
endowed  with  large  territory,  lest  being  in  possession  of 
landed  estate  they  straightway  become  indolent  in  the  exercise 
of  their  profession.  A suitable  reward  should  be  bestowed 
upon  them,  adequate  to  the  shallowness  or  depth  of  the  cure 
effected. 

Chapt.  XXXV. — By  an  ancient  custom  of  the  Empire, 
Niidono,  the  Spiritual  Chief,2  has  the  entire  control  of  every 
particular  connected  with  the  physical  study  of  the  Heavens, 
and  the  management  of  the  Spirits  of  the  five  grains.  Should 
any  one,  however,  set  himself  in  opposition  to  the  examples 
and  precepts  of  the  Military  Chief  of  the  Empire,  there 
should  be  no  hesitation  or  delay  in  punishing  him  severely. 

Chapt.  XXXVI. — All  wandering  mendicants,  such  as  male 
sorcerers,  female  diviners,  hermits,  blind  people,  beggars, 

1 The  families  of  Minamoto,  Taira,  Fujiwara,  Sugiwara,  etc.,  all  claiming 
divine  descent  through  the  Emperor,  or  directly  as  in  the  case  of  the  Fujiwara. 

2 The  chief  Shinto  priest. 


APPENDIX  V 


383 


and  tanners,  have  had  from  of  old  their  respective  rulers. 
Be  not  disinclined,  however,  to  punish  any  such  who  give 
rise  to  disputes,  or  who  overstep  the  boundaries  of  their  own 
classes,  and  are  disobedient  to  existing  laws. 

Chapt.  XXXVII. — A girded  sword  is  the  living  soul  of  a 
samurai.  In  the  case  of  a samurai  forgetting  his  sword, 
act  as  is  appointed  ; it  may  not  be  overlooked. 

Chapts.  XXXVIII  and  XXXIX  (Omitted). — Regulate  the  number  or 
Cavalry  soldiers  to  be  furnished  by  each  Dairnio  in  proportion  to  the  value  of 
his  domains  as  assessed  in  the  survey  of  1592. 

Chapt.  XL. — By  a fortunate  choice  on  my  part,  Ii 
Manchio-maru  is  created  Commander-in-chief,  and  holds  the 
“Golden  Baton.”  Honda  Hehachiro  is  created  second  com- 
mander, and  holds  the  “Silver  Baton.”  Murakami  Hikotaro 
is  created  third  commander,  and  is  authorized  to  bear  the 
“Paper  Baton.”  It  is  necessary  that  every  samurai  should 
know  these  particulars. 

Chapt.  XLI. — The  boundary  lines  of  possessions  held  by 
samurai  may  not  be  varied  or  trespassed  upon  so  much  as  a 
hair’s  breadth.  In  the  event  of  disputes  of  this  nature  being 
referred  for  decision,  the  plan  in  the  Civil  Court  should  be 
compared  with  the  Register,  and  the  boundary  line  fixed. 
But  if  there  should  be  any  difficulty  in  determining  the 
matter,  an  Inspector,  a Chief  Supervisor,  and  a Judge 
should  repair  to  the  place  in  dispute,  and  in  the  usual  manner 
give  their  decision  in  accordance  with  the  Register.  In  the 
event  of  such  decision  not  being  accepted,  and  one  of  the 
disputants  making  still  further  complaint,  the  place  in  dis- 
pute shall  be  confiscated,  and  the  amount  of  the  possessions 
of  the  appellant  reduced. 

Chapt.  XLII. — There  is  a difference  in  the  ceremonies  to 
be  observed  by  direct  retainers  and  secondary  retainers  of 
rank. 

Chapt.  XLI  1 1. — Parties  fighting  and  wounding  each  other 
with  sharp  instruments  are  equally  culpable,  but  should  be 
judged  according  to  the  severity  of  the  wounds  inflicted. 
The  rule  of  procedure  on  such  occasions  is  to  arrest  the 
criminal  party;  but  at  times  it  may  not  be  expedient  to 
trace  him. 

Chapt.  XLIV. — The  strictest  and  most  careful  search  shall 
be  made  for  persons  guilty  of  murder  by  stratagem,  or  with 
malice  prepense — of  poisoning  for  selfish  purposes,  and  ol 


384 


APPENDIX  V 


wounding  others  while  robbing  a house — who,  when  found, 
shall  be  executed. 

Chapt.  XLV. — The  samurai  are  the  masters  of  the  four 
classes.  Agriculturists,  artisans,  and  merchants  may  not 
behave  in  a rude  manner  towards  samurai.  The  term  for 
a rude  man  is  “ other  than  expected  fellow  ” : and  a samurai 
is  not  to  be  interfered  with  in  cutting  down  a fellow  who  has 
behaved  to  him  in  a manner  other  than  is  expected. 

The  samurai  are  grouped  into  direct  retainers,  secondary 
retainers  and  nobles  and  retainers  of  high  and  low  grade ; 
but  the  same  line  of  conduct  is  equally  allowable  to  them 
all  towards  an  “other  than  expected  fellow.” 

Chapt.  XLVI. — The  married  state  is  the  great  relation  of 
mankind.  One  should  not  live  alone  after  sixteen  years  of 
age,  but  should  procure  a mediator,  and  perform  the  cere- 
mony of  matrimonial  alliance.  The  same  kindred,  however, 
may  not  intermarry. 

A family  of  good  descent  should  be  chosen  to  marry  into; 
for  when  a line  of  descendants  is  prolonged,  the  foreheads 
of  ancestors  expand.  All  mankind  recognize  marriage  as 
the  first  law  of  nature. 

This  subject  should  be  circulated,  that  it  be  not  lost  sight  of. 

Chapt.  XLVI  I. — A childless  man  should  make  provision, 
by  the  adoption  of  a child,  to  ensure  the  succession  of  the 
family  estate ; but  it  is  not  customary  for  a person  under 
fifteen  years  of  age  to  adopt  a child. 

An  adopted  son  of  the  Emperor  is  called  “ Hom-miya  ” ; 
of  the  Shogun  is  termed  Shokun  (heir  apparent) ; of  a Lord 
of  a province  is  designated  Seishi ; of  Hatamoto  1 and  down- 
wards is  called  Yoshi  (adopted  child). 

The  family  estate  of  a person  dying  without  male  issue 
and  without  having  adopted  a son,  is  forfeited  without  any 
regard  to  his  relations  or  connections. 

Nevertheless,  as  it  is  taught  by  the  sages  and  worthies 
that  the  Empire  is  the  Empire  of  its  people  and  does  not 
appertain  to  one  man  alone,  in  the  event  of  an  Infant  on 
the  point  of  death  wishing  to  adopt  a child,  there  is  no 
objection  to  his  being  allowed  to  prolong  his  race  in  the 
person  of  one  who  is  of  age. 

1 Hatamoto  were  a class  of  territorial  gentry  created  by  Iyeyasu,  who  occu- 
pied a position  inferior  to  that  of  the  daimio,  but  as  landowners  higher  than  that 
of  the  squires  or  retainers  of  the  daimio. 


APPENDIX  V 


385 


Chapt.  XLVIII. — In  lieu  of  the  practice  which  has  hitherto 
obtained,  viz.,  that  of  the  Emperor  in  person  making  a 
tour  of  investigation  to  the  several  provinces  for  the  purpose 
of  hearing  verbally  from  the  Princes  an  account  of  their 
several  administrations,  let  an  Inspector  be  sent  every  five 
or  seven  years  to  the  different  provinces  to  examine  into 
the  traces  of  the  behaviour  of  the  Kokushiu  and  Rioshiu 
during  their  absence  from  Yedo.  The  inspection  into  the 
well-being  or  dissatisfaction  of  the  peasantry,  the  increase  or 
decrease  of  the  produce,  the  repairs  and  alterations  effected 
in  the  castles,  and  so  on,  are  not  to  be  discontinued. 

Chapt.  XLIX. — The  territories  entrusted  to  the  Daimio, 
with  the  exception  of  the  Kokushiu,  shall  not  be  perpetuated 
to  successive  generations.  They  should  be  interchanged 
every  year,  the  territories  being  apportioned  relatively. 
Should  the  territory  entrusted  to  one  Daimio  remain  in  his 
possession  for  too  long  a time,  he  is  certain  to  become 
ungovernable  and  oppress  the  people. 

Chapt.  L. — If  a married  woman  of  the  agricultural, 
artizan,  or  commercial  class  shall  secretly  have  illicit  inter- 
course with  another  man,  it  is  not  necessary  for  the  husband 
to  enter  a complaint  against  the  peisons  thus  confusing  the 
great  relation  of  mankind,  but  he  may  put  them  both  to 
death.  Nevertheless  should  he  slay  one  of  them  and  spare 
the  other,  his  guilt  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  unrighteous 
persons. 

In  the  event,  however,  of  advice  being  sought,  the  parties 
not  having  been  slain,  accede  to  the  wishes  of  the  com- 
plainant with  regard  to  putting  them  to  death  or  not. 

Mankind,  in  whose  bodies  the  male  and  female  elements 
induce  a natural  desire  towards  the  same  object,  do  not  look 
upon  such  practices  with  aversion  ; and  the  adjudication  of 
such  cases  is  a matter  of  special  deliberation  and  consulta- 
tion. 

Chapt.  LI. — Men  and  women  of  the  Military  class  are 
expected  to  know  better  than  to  occasion  disturbance  by 
violating  existing  regulations,  and  such  a one  breaking 
the  regulations  by  lewd  trifling  or  illicit  intercourse,  shall  at 
once  be  punished  without  deliberation  or  consultation.  It 
is  not  the  same  in  this  case  as  in  that  of  agriculturists, 
artizans  and  traders. 

Chapt.  LI  I. — In  respect  to  revenging  injury  done  to 
c c 


386 


APPENDIX  V 


master  or  father  it  is  granted  by  the  wise  and  virtuous  (Con- 
fucius) that  you  and  the  injurer  cannot  live  together  under 
the  canopy  of  heaven. 

A person  harbouring  such  vengeance  shall  notify  the  same 
in  writing  to  the  criminal  court;  and  although  no  check  or 
hindrance  may  be  offered  to  his  carrying  out  his  desire 
within  the  period  allowed  for  that  purpose,  it  is  forbidden 
that  the  chastisement  of  an  enemy  be  attended  with  riot. 

Fellows  who  neglect  to  give  notice  of  their  intended 
revenge  are  like  wolves  of  pretext ; and  their  punishment 
or  pardon  should  depend  upon  the  circumstances  of  the  case. 

Chapt.  LI  1 1. — The  guilt  of  a vassal  murdering  his  suzerain 
is  the  same  in  principle  as  that  of  an  archtraitor  to  the 
Emperor.  His  immediate  companions,  his  relations,  and  all 
even  to  his  most  distant  connections  shall  be  cut  off  (and 
mowed  to  atoms)  root  and  fibre.  The  guilt  of  a vassal 
only  lifting  his  hand  against  his  master,  even  though  he 
does  not  assassinate  him,  is  the  same. 

Chapt.  LIV. — The  position  a wife  holds  towards  a concu- 
bine is  the  same  as  that  of  a lord  towards  his  vassal. 

The  Emperor  has  twelve  imperial  concubines.  The 
Princes  may  have  eight  concubines.  Officers  of  the  higher 
class  may  have  five  mistresses.  A samurai  may  have  two 
handmaids.  All  below  this  are  ordinary  married  men. 

A sage  of  old  makes  this  known  in  his  Book  of  Rites,  and 
it  has  been  a constant  law  from  of  old  to  the  present  day. 

Silly  and  ignorant  men  neglect  their  true  wives  for  the 
sake  of  a loved  mistress,  and  thus  disturb  the  most  import- 
ant relation.  In  olden  times  the  downfall  of  castles  and  the 
overthrow  of  kingdoms  all  proceeded  from  this  alone.  Why 
is  not  the  indulgence  of  passion  guarded  against?  Men  so 
far  sunk  as  this  may  always  be  known  as  samurai  without 
fidelity  or  sincerity. 

Chapt.  LV. — It  is  a righteous  and  world-recognized  rule 
that  a true  husband  takes  care  of  outside  business,  while  a 
true  wife  manages  the  affairs  of  the  house.  When  a wife 
occupies  herself  with  outside  affairs,  her  husband  loses  his 
business,  and  it  is  a pre-evidence  of  ruin  to  the  house  : it  is 
as  when  a hen  is  afflicted  with  a propensity  to  crow  at  morn, 
and  an  affliction  of  which  every  samurai  should  beware. 
This  again  is  an  assistance  in  the  knowledge  of  mankind. 

Chapt.  LVI. — The  nine  Castles,  viz.,  those  of  Iwatsuki, 


APPENDIX  V 


387 


Kawagoi,  and  Oshi  in  the  province  of  Musashi,  of  Sakura, 
Sekiyado  and  Kogawa  in  the  province  of  Shimo-osa,  of 
Takazaki  in  Kozuke,  of  Utsunomiya  in  Shimodzuke,  and 
of  Odawara  in  Sagami,  are  all  branch-castles  of  the  chief 
Castle  at  Yedo. 

They  may  not  be  entrusted  to  the  charges  of  any  one  but 
a samurai  of  the  Fudai  class  specially  appointed  to  the  trust. 
They  are  outworks  for  the  protection  of  the  chief  Castle. 

Chapt.  LYII. — The  two  castles  of  Fuchiu  and  Kuno  in 
the  province  of  Suruga  shall  be  intrusted  to  the  guardianship 
of  the  Chief  of  the  "Private  Guards.”  They  are  accessory 
to  the  principal  castle. 

Chapt.  LYII  I. — The  Warden  of  the  two  castles  of  Osaka 
in  the  province  of  Setsu,  and  of  Fushimi  in  the  province  of 
Yamashiro  should  be  a vassal  of  ancient  lineage,  and  above 
the  “Fourth  Grade.”  Certain  of  the  “Guards”  should  be 
stationed  there  as  resident  guards.  When  war  is  made,  one 
of  these  Castles  should  be  the  head-quarters  of  the  Main 
Army. 

Chapt.  LIX. — There  are  sixteen  guard-houses  established 
on  the  main  roads  and  by-roads  of  the  districts  and  pro- 
vinces, some  on  the  seashore,  some  inland,  in  order  to  pre- 
vent man  or  woman  disturbing  the  public  peace,  and  for 
defences  of  the  boundaries  of  the  state.  The  superintend- 
ence of  these  should  be  entrusted  to  a samurai  of  the  Fudai 
class  of  ancient  lineage,  without  regard,  however,  to  his 
wealth.  He  shall  see  that  the  rules  written  for  their  regula- 
tion are  properly  carried  out.  Under  certain  circumstances 
not  even  a needle  should  be  permitted  to  pass ; but  on 
ordinary  occasion  horses  and  vehicles  may  go  through.1 


1 From  a very  early  period  it  was  the  custom  to  maintain  barriers  guarded 
by  troops  at  certain  mountain  passes  and  other  strategic  points.  Their  original 
object  was  to  guard  against  incursions  by  the  savage  Ainu  into  the  Japanese 
colonies,  but  from  the  time  of  Yoritomo  onwards,  their  sole  object  was  to  pre- 
vent treacherous  communications  between  the  Shogun’s  Court  in  the  Eastern 
provinces  (Kuanto)  and  the  Imperial  Court  at  Kioto.  The  best  known  were 
Auzaka  near  Kioto  (page  96)  and  Hakone  (page  104).  The  latter  was  only 
abolished  in  1S71,  and  its  remains  still  exist.  A watch  was  kept  here  to  pre- 
vent the  wives  of  Daimios  escaping  from  Yedo  (page  213),  and  women  proceeding 
to  Yedo  were  also  subjected  to  a strict  search,  lest  they  should  be  the  medium 
of  carrying  treasonable  documents.  One  curious  result  of  this  was  a large 
number  of  barbers’  shops  in  the  town  of  Odawara,  at  the  foot  of  the  Hakone 
Pass,  who  drove  a prosperous  trade  in  re-dressing  the  locks  of  the  ladies, 
dishevelled  in  the  search  to  which  they  were  subjected  at  the  barrier. 

CC  2 


388 


APPENDIX  V 


Chapt.  LX. — The  protection  of  the  Castle  of  Nijo  1 shall  be 
entrusted  to  some  reliable  and  trustworthy  Fudai  of  good 
lineage,  instead  of  to  that  of  the  Commander-in-Chief;  he 
shall  be  called  “The  Kioto  Representative,”  and  on  all 
occasions  of  disturbance  the  Thirty  Western  States  shall 
take  their  orders  from  him. 

Chapt.  LXI. — The  office  of  Prefect  of  Kiushiu  has  for  a 
long  time,  since  the  time  of  Odono,  been  temporarily  dis- 
continued. This  office  should  be  entrusted  on  alternate 
years  to  the  two  houses  of  Shimadzu  (Satsuma)  and  Nabe- 
shima  (Hizen).2 

It  is  forbidden  to  give  this  trust  to  any  other  house  for 
ever. 

Chapt.  LXII.— In  the  inner  inclosure,  beneath  the  Castle 
at  Yedo,  there  are  twenty-eight  curtained 3 guard-houses ; 
and  there  are  also  twenty-eight  in  the  outer  inclosure. 

The  superintendence  of  the  Inner  Inclosure  shall  be  en- 
trusted to  a Fudai,  for  the  time  being  resident  in  Yedo; 
that  of  the  Outer  Inclosure  to  a Hatamoto  on  duty  at  the 
time. 

They  shall  be  directed  as  a matter  of  course  to  attend  to 
the  guard-house  regulations,  and  to  see  that  the  military 
weapons,  swords,  insignia,  and  all  the  implements  of  war 
are  kept  clean  and  in  proper  order. 

Chapt.  LX  1 1 1. — The  several  duties  about  the  castle  to  be 
performed  by  the  samurai  on  duty,  and  the  work  to  be 
done  in  connection  therewith  should  be  well  considered,  and 
allotted  in  proportion  to  their  revenues ; but  they  should  not 
be  appointed  to  high  offices  of  state.  Some  three,  four  or 
five  of  them  should  be  set  apart  for  the  transaction  of  con- 
tingent official  business. 

1 The  castle  used  as  a residence  by  the  Shogun  when  he  visited  Kioto — still 
existing. 

2 Odono — more  properly  Otomo — was  the  family  name  of  the  Territorial 
Princes  of  Bungo,  who  were  the  greatest  feudatories  in  Kiushiu,  until  their  power 
was  destroyed  by  Satsuma  early  in  the  last  quarter  of  the  sixteenth  century. 
From  the  time  of  Yoritomo  until  then,  they  had  continuously  held  an  office 
which  might  be  described  as  the  Vice-Royalty  of  Kiushiu.  Both  Otomo  and 
Satsuma  were  said  to  be  direct  descendants  of  illegitimate  sons  of  Yoritomo. 
Nabeshima  was  the  Territorial  Prince  of  Hizen,  one  of  the  Kokushiu  daimios, 
whose  direct  descendant  is  now  the  Marquis  Nabeshima,  and  was  some  years 
ago  Japanese  minister  at  Rome. 

3 Vide  p.  313. 


APPENDIX  V 


389 


Chapt.  LXIV. — Nagasaki,  in  the  province  of  Hizen, 
being  a port  at  which  vessels  of  other  countries  touch,  has 
dominion  over  three  nationalities.1  The  administration  of 
this  place  should  be  entrusted  to  the  chief  member  of  the 
Gorojiu. 

The  resident  guard  shall  consist  of  four  chiefs  from  among 
the  Fudai  samurai,  each  in  receipt  of  3,000  koku  upwards. 
They  shall  each  be  provided  with  a riding  horse  and  foot 
soldiers,  and  are  salaried  officers. 

Chapt.  LXV.— In  the  revolution  of  nature,  lands,  houses, 
mountains,  rivers,  and  ferries  become  damaged  and  ruined, 
and  considerable  outlay  is  requisite  to  put  them  in  repair. 

A part  of  such  expenses  is  to  be  borne  by  the  neighbour- 
ing province  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  koku  it  pro- 
duces. This  tax  is  called  “Provincial  thank-tribute.” 

Yoritomo  introduced  this  custom,  taking  example  from 
the  period  of  the  sages ; the  principle  is  by  no  means  a 
selfish  idea  of  my  own.  It  is  a custom  which  shall  be 
observed  by  future  generations  for  ever. 

Chapt.  LXVI. — Regarding  thoroughfares,  both  in 

Government  territory  and  throughout  the  empire,  36  feet  is 
the  proper  width  of  the  “great  sea  road  but  including  the 
trees  on  either  side,  it  should  have  a uniform  width  of  120 
feet;  18  feet  is  the  proper  width  of  the  “small  sea  road”; 
but  including  the  margins  on  either  side  it  should  be  of  a 
uniform  width  of  60  feet. 

Twelve  feet  is  the  proper  width  of  cross-roads  and  horse 
roads ; inclusive  of  the  side-walks,  30  feet  should  be  the 
uniform  width. 

Six  feet  is  the  proper  uniform  width  of  foot-paths, 
inclusive  of  margins  on  either  side. 

Three  feet  is  the  proper  uniform  width  of  by-paths,  and 
paths  through  the  fields,  inclusive  of  margins  on  either  side. 

On  either  bank  of  a river,  where  crossed  by  a ferry,  there 
should  be  an  open  space  of  360  feet  or  thereabouts. 

Post  houses  have  been  established  at  intervals  for  the 
dispatch  of  public  business,  and  are  also  of  manifest  assist- 
ance to  foot  passengers. 

This  is  an  ancient  regulation,  handed  down  from  Oinos’ke, 
an  ancestor  of  the  Tokugawa. 

1 Japanese,  Chinese  and  Dutch,  the  two  latter  the  only  foreigners  permitted 
to  reside  in  Japan. 


390 


APPENDIX  V 


Chapt.  LXVII. — The  several  taxes  leviable  on  hills,  rivers, 
seas,  and  ports,  should  not  be  exacted  irregularly.  They 
should  suffice  for  the  current  expenses  of  the  Imperial  house- 
hold. 

Chapt.  LXVII  I. — Dwellings  shall  not  be  erected  on  ground 
under  cultivation  by  husbandmen,  as  the  growth  of  bamboos 
and  trees  round  the  walls  is  prejudicial  to  the  crops. 

When  disputes  arising  from  a question  of  new  and  old 
plantations  is  referred  for  decision,  the  test  is  in  the  height 
of  the  trees  forming  the  enclosure  of  such  plantation. 

If  they  are  seen  to  be  three  feet  high,  the  plantation  may 
be  known  to  be  an  old  one;  if  they  are  not  three  feet  high, 
the  plantation  is  a new  one,  and  the  trees  should  be  cut  down, 
and  the  party  in  the  wrong  confined  to  his  house  for  one 
hundred  days. 

Chapt.  LXIX. — If  the  boughs  of  large  trees  in  the  imme- 
diate neighbourhood  of  villages  in  which  the  houses  are  built 
consecutively,  become  so  large  as  to  interfere  with  the  drying 
of  grain,  or  to  interrupt  the  payment  of  annual  tribute,  in  the 
first  place  the  branches  shall  be  cut  off ; and  if  that  is  not 
sufficient  the  whole  tree  shall  be  cut  down. 

Overshadowing  branches  should  be  lopped  off  annually. 

Chapt.  LXX. — Although  there  are  many  bad  roads  and 
bridges  in  the  frontier  villages  of  the  different  provinces, 
there  is  a great  deal  of  carelessness  and  neglect  evinced,  and 
the  consequence  is  great  inconvenience  to  travellers. 

The  care  of  aqueducts  for  water  in  case  of  fire  also  is 
neglected,  and  water  is  allowed  to  stagnate  in  the  drains, 
because  it  is  not  the  business  of  any  particular  individual 
to  look  after  them.  And  the  deepening  or  filling  in  of  the 
beds  of  rivers  is  overlooked  as  entailing  trouble. 

Circular  instructions  should  be  issued  in  the  customary 
years  from  the  Inspectorate,  that  such  neglect  cease  to  exist. 

Chapt.  LXXI. — From  of  old  the  harmony  between  lord 
and  vassal  has  been  likened  to  that  existing  between  water 
and  fish.  Ought  it  not  to  be  so?  It  is,  indeed,  no  difficult 
thing  ! If  the  golden  rule,  “Do  not  unto  others  that  which 
you  would  not  have  others  do  to  you,”  be  so  firmly  grasped 
in  the  heart  as  not  to  be  lost  sight  of  for  a moment,  the 
force  of  example  will  induce  inferiors  to  conform  to  this 
virtuous  teaching;  and  not  only  immediate  attendants,  but 
the  population  at  large,  will  naturally  flow  smoothly  along 
as  water  to  its  outlet. 


APPENDIX  V 


391 


Chapt.  LXXII. — My  body,  and  the  bodies  of  others, 
being  born  in  the  “Empire  of  the  Gods,”  to  adopt  the 
teachings  of  other  countries  in  toto,  such  as  Confucian, 
Buddhist,  and  Tauist  doctrines,  and  to  apply  one’s  whole 
and  undivided  attention  to  them,  would  in  short  be  to  desert 
one’s  own  master,  and  transfer  one’s  fidelity  to  another.  Is 
not  this  to  forget  the  origin  of  one’s  being? 

Judging  from  a medium  and  unprejudiced  point  of  view, 
a clear  decision  should  be  arrived  at  as  to  what  is  proper  to 
adopt,  what  to  reject.  The  delusions  of  witchcraft  and 
superstitious  arts  should  on  no  account  be  unquestionably 
accepted  ; but  on  the  other  hand  they  should  not  be  forcibly 
and  obstinately  rejected. 

Chapt.  LXXII  I. — Virtuous  men  have  said  both  in  poetry 
and  standard  works  that  houses  of  debauch  for  women  of 
pleasure,  and  for  street-walkers,  are  the  worm-eaten  spots 
of  cities  and  towns.  But  they  are  necessary  evils,  which  if 
forcibly  abolished,  men  of  unrighteous  principles  would  be- 
come like  ravelled  thread,  and  there  would  be  no  end  to  daily 
punishment  and  flogging. 

These  separate  characters  are  intended  to  suffice  as  a 
general  basis  to  the  law  of  the  Empire ; but  with  regard  to 
minute  details  affecting  the  inferior  classes  individually,  learn 
the  wide  benevolence  of  Koso,  of  the  Kan  dynasty. 

Chapt.  LXXIV. — As  a pattern  for  the  house  of  Tokugawa, 
adjust  your  line  by  that  of  the  Lord  of  Kamakura  (Yoritomo) ; 
you  may  not  adopt  the  fashions  of  other  houses.  Neverthe- 
less, the  tendencies  of  the  Lord  of  Komatsu  should  not  be 
entirely  rejected.1 

Chapt.  LXXV. — Although  it  is  undoubtedly  an  ancient 
custom  for  a vassal  to  follow  his  Lord  in  death,  there  is  not 
the  slightest  reason  in  the  practice.  Confucius  has  ridiculed 
the  making  of  Yo.  These  practices  are  strictly  forbidden, 
more  especially  to  primary  retainers,  and  also  to  secondary 
retainers  even  to  the  lowest. 

He  is  the  opposite  of  a faithful  servant  who  disregards 
this  prohibition  ; his  posterity  shall  be  impoverished  by  the 
confiscation  of  his  property  as  a warning  to  those  who  disobey 
the  laws.2 

1 KGmatsu,  the  posthumous  name  of  Iligemori,  Kiyomori’s  eldest  son,  who 
died  before  his  father,  whose  virtues  and  mercy  were  as  prominent  as  his  father’s 
vices  and  cruelty.  Vide  pp.  ioi  and  132. 

2 The  compulsory  observation  of  this  practice  was  forbidden  by  the  Emperor 


392 


APPENDIX  V 


Chap.  LXXVI. — A knowledge  of  military  tactics,  and  the 
art  of  managing  an  army,  are  nothing  but  necessary  accom- 
plishments in  a leader. 

An  ordinary  man  is  like  a manufactured  article,  he  is 
not  composed  of  many  bodies.  Every  manufactured  article 
has  its  own  separate  use,  and  a hammer  will  not  answer  the 
purpose  of  a chisel,  nor  can  a gimlet  be  used  for  the  purpose 
of  a saw. 

In  precisely  the  same  manner,  every  individual  man  has  a 
special  use.  Make  use  of  a wise  man’s  wisdom;  of  a brave 
man’s  courage;  of  a strong  man’s  strength;  of  a weak 
man’s  weakness;  of  each,  in  short,  acording  to  his  individual 
capability ; for  just  as  a gimlet  will  not  answer  the  purpose 
of  a saw,  neither  will  an  ignorant  or  a weak  man  answer  the 
purpose  of  a strong  man,  and  should  therefore  not  be  em- 
ployed in  his  stead.  The  substance  of  this  is  inculcated  as 
an  incipient  principle  by  the  five  virtues ; and  the  adoption 
or  disregard  of  this  principle  tests  the  ability  or  inability  of 
a chief. 

In  looking  at  the  principle  again  as  applied  to  men  who 
are  employed  for  purposes  of  war,  unity  of  feeling  among 
one  another  and  mutual  regard  between  high  and  low,  will 
ensure  peace  and  tranquillity  in  the  Empire  without  having 
recourse  to  arms.  This  does  not  apply  exclusively  to  times 
of  war,  but  is  equally  applicable  to  all  occasions. 

Chapt.  LXXVI  I. — When  military  power  becomes  full  to 
overflowing,  even  in  the  absence  of  all  ambition,  the  proper 
veneration  for  the  “Throne  of  Divine  blessings”  is  apt  to 
become  blunted ; and  there  arrives  a tendency,  as  has  been 
demonstrated  in  the  persons  of  so  many  of  old,  to  remissness 
in  respect,  and  oblivion  of  the  origin  of  the  “ Kingdom  of 
the  Gods,” — the  source  of  self-desire  is  apt  to  overflow. 
Such  a sin  is  not  a light  one,  and  will  be  undoubtedly 
followed  by  annihilation  from  Heaven. 


Suinin,  and  its  voluntary  observation  was  several  times  forbidden  by  edicts  of 
subsequent  Emperors.  It  still  continued,  however,  and  there  were  frequent 
occasions  not  only  in  Iyeyasu’s  lifetime,  but  afterwards,  notwithstanding  his 
drastic  prohibition,  in  which  vassals  killed  themselves  on  their  lord’s  death. 
Date  Masamune,  one  of  the  most  celebrated  of  the  territorial  princes,  both 
during  Iyeyasu’s  lifetime  and  in  his  son’s,  when  on  his  deathbed,  honoured  his 
retainers  by  selecting  those  who  were  to  follow  him  in  death,  all  of  whom  com- 
mitted hara-kiri  when  he  died.  On  the  death  of  Iyemitsu,  the  third  of  the 
Tokugawa  Shoguns,  two  of  the  daimios,  who  must  have  been  well  acquainted 
with  the  legacy  of  Iyeyasu,  also  committed  hara-kiri. 


APPENDIX  V 


393 


Chapt.  LXXVIII. — The  Shinno  and  the  several  Miya, 
being  related  to  the  son  of  Heaven,  should  be  treated  with 
the  highest  respect.  This  immediately  concerns  the  Shosho. 
You  should  not  set  yourself  in  opposition  to  the  Kuge,  who 
by  ancient  custom  come  next  in  order.  Impolite  behaviour 
and  a rough  and  indifferent  manner  are  to  be  avoided.1 

Chapt.  LXXIX. — There  are  five  families  whose  heads  are 
by  custom  Guests  of  honour ; and  mindful  of  the  circum- 
stances on  record  from  which  this  custom  originated,  your 
intercourse  with  them  should  resemble  the  mutual  friendship 
of  neighbouring  states.  The  manners,  customs,  and  fashions 
of  their  houses  are  not  under  the  care  of  the  Tokugawa 
family;  nevertheless,  if  any  one  among  them  evince  con- 
tempt towards  superiors,  or  injure  the  people  by  tyrannical 
oppression,  he  should  be  immediately  reprimanded.  This  is 
a duty  of  the  “Barbarian  destroying  Shogun,”  and  one  which 
should  not  be  delayed  for  a moment.2 

Chapt.  LXXX. — With  regard  to  the  posterity  of  Owari, 
Kishiu,  and  Mito,  and  the  fifteen  Kamon  immediately  follow- 
ing them,  the  fortune  descends  to  the  eldest  male  child, 
and  the  revenue  of  their  possessions  shall  not  be  divided 
among  the  remaining  children.  These  last  should  choose 
some  family  of  good  pedigree  and  great  wealth,  and  marry 
into  it.  The  family  thus  allied  shall  rank  only  with  the 
Kamon,  who  should  receive  them  with  amity.  The  thirteen 
families,  however,  may  not  become  thus  united. 

Chapt.  LXXXI.— Daimio  with  an  annual  revenue  of 
100,000  koku  and  upwards, — the  Gorojiu, — public  officers 
of  the  higher  grades,  and  all  Generals  though  in  receipt  of 
small  incomes,  are  entitled  to  the  same  distinguishing 
insignia,  etc.,  as  the  Lord  of  a province  or  a castle. 

Chapt. — LXXXII.— The  travelling  suites  of  Fudai  and 
Tozama,  and  likewise  higher  grades  of  officers,  who  may  be 
on  their  way  to  assume  their  duties  at  Yedo,  or  returning 
from  Yedo  after  being  relieved,  shall  strictly  observe  the 
established  rules.  They  shall  not  carry  their  flowery  mani- 

1 Shinno  is  the  Prince  Imperial  and  Miya  are  the  other  princes  of  the 
Imperial  family.  Shosho  (properly  Sho-shi-dai)  was  the  Shogun’s  representa- 
tive at  Kioto.  Vide  Chapt.  LX. 

2 The  five  families  were  those  of  the  five  greatest  territorial  princes,  who  on 
their  annual  arrival  in  Yedo  were  entitled  to  the  courtesy  of  being  met  and 
escorted  to  their  palaces  in  the  capital  by  a high  officer  of  the  Shogun. 


394 


APPENDIX  V 


festations  beyond  the  adjusted  limits,  neither  shall  they  in 
aught  detract  from  the  regulations.  They  shall  not  disturb 
or  harass  the  people  at  the  post-houses,  being  puffed  up  with 
military  pomp. 

This  subject  should  be  impressed  upon  their  attention  by 
the  Gorojiu  at  the  time  of  leave  taking. 

Chapt.  LXXXIII. — Regarding  the  charges  for  boats  and 
rafts, — men  and  horses,  horse-hire,  boat-hire,  porterage, 
and  so  on  should  be  regulated  by  the  distance  to  be  travelled, 
and  weight  by  scale.  This  regulation  should  be  made 
generally  known  to  prevent  misunderstanding. 

The  Horse-express,  and  Government  Carriers,  however, 
are  not  included  in  this  regulation  : particular  care  should 
be  taken  to  afford  them  every  facility  for  speedy  locomotion. 

Chapt.  LXXXIV  (Omitted). — Regulates  the  complimentary  presents  to  be 
made  by  Daimio  to  the  Gorojiu. 

Chapt.  LXXXV. — Among  the  many  employes  there  will 
be  some  who  flatter,  adulate,  and  endeavour  to  bribe  in- 
fluential men  having  authority ; again  there  will  be  others, 
true  men,  who  evince  a grave  and  decorous  respect  towards 
their  superiors. 

The  faithful  and  unfaithful  are  clearly  apparent  among 
these,  and  ignorance  in  distinguishing  between  them  tends 
to  degeneracy  in  the  Government.  Much  reflection  and 
grave  consideration  is  requisite ; and  a liberality  in  punish- 
ment and  reward. 

Chapt.  LXXXVI. — Regarding  the  erection  of  (temples 
called)  “Ji-in  ” and  “Sam-mon.”  1 At  the  time  I established 
the  “ Sandal  Grove,”  an  embarrassing  remonstrance  was 

1 “Ji-in”  means  simply  a Buddhist  Temple  or  Monastery.  Sandal  Grove 
is  the  literal  translation  of  the  word  Danrin,  which  is  a fanciful  term  also  for 
Buddhist  Temples  or  Monasteries.  Sam-mon  means  the  front  gate  of  a Bud- 
dhist Temple,  but  it  is  specifically  used  to  denote  Enriaku,  the  Temple  of  the 
Tendai  Sect  of  Buddhists  in  Japan  on  Mount  Hiyei,  founded  by  the  Emperor 
Kwammu  (782-806),  the  first  Emperor  to  establish  his  capital  at  Kioto, 
destroyed  by  Nobunaga  in  1591  (p.  174),  and  restored,  though  with  very 
diminished  splendour,  by  Iyeyasu.  The  Tendai  sect  took  their  name  from 
Mount  Tien-tai  in  China,  where  their  doctrine  was  first  preached,  and  where 
the  welfare  of  the  Emperor  of  China  was  specially  prayed  for.  Kwammu 
erected  an  exact  replica  of  the  Chinese  Temple  on  Mount  Hiyei,  intending 
that  the  welfare  of  the  Kioto  Court  should  be  specially  prayed  for  as  was  that 
of  China  in  the  original  Temple  at  Tien-tai.  It  was  known  as  the  Sam-mon, 
and  the  Abbot’s  grievance  was,  that  Iyeyasu  had  extended  the  honourable  term 
to  the  other  Temples  which  he  built  in  Yedo  and  elsewhere. 


APPENDIX  V 


395 


made  by  the  Chief  Priest  of  the  Sect  of  Tendai  (Buddhist). 
He  argued  thus  : 

“ My  mountain  is  situated  immediately  under  the  Three 
felicitous  stars  exactly  in  the  centre  of  the  heavens,  by  per- 
mission of  a former  Emperor,  who  intended  that  it  should 
give  adequate  protection  to  the  Imperial  Palace  of  the 
Empire.  The  idea  was  taken  from  the  Tendai  Sam-mon, 
instituted  for  the  defence  and  protection  of  the  Imperial 
Capital  of  another  Empire  [China] ; and  for  this  reason 
the  term  Sam-mon  can  be  properly  applied  to  my  mountain 
alone  throughout  the  Empire  of  the  Rising  Sun.  By  what 
right  does  the  Shogun  raise  another  Sam-mon?  ” 

On  this  occasion  I was  dumb  before  him  ! But  at  last  I 
found  words,  and  replied  that  I had  established  it  in  per- 
petuity in  order  that  the  omniscient  Being  of  Kinjo  [Emperor 
at  the  time]  might  attain  eternal  longevity  ! I at  the  same 
time  made  a reform  in  the  nomination  of  the  “Ji-in” 
throughout  the  Sixty-six  provinces  and  seventy-three  differ- 
ent temples  came  to  be  termed  “Sam-mon.”  A memoran- 
dum was  drawn  up,  setting  forth  their  number  and  situation, 
and  sent  to  the  chief  temple  of  Tendai  on  the  nth  day  of  the 
fourth  moon  of  the  2nd  year  of  Bunroku  (a.d.  1593). 

From  the  first,  though  cognizant  of  the  law,  I yet  wilfully 
made  an  innovation.  This  should  not  be  done. 

Chapt.  LXXXVII. — ' The  title  of  Sei-Tai-Shogun  origin- 
ated in  the  person  of  Yoritomo,  and  the  ceremonies  observed 
on  appointment  are  the  bestowal  of  the  “ Sancho-no- 
Fuyetsu”  and  “ Chingo-no-In,”  and  the  grant  of  the 
“ Sambo-no-Gor^i  ” by  the  Emperor. 

This  office  is  similar  to  that  of  “ Shingi-K’wan,”  1 inasmuch 
as  samurai  employed  under  it  to  fill  official  situations,  high 

1 Shingi  Kwan — more  accurately  Jingi  Kwan — was,  in  former  ages,  the 
department  of  the  Imperial  Government  which  administered  all  matters 
connected  with  the  Shinto  religion,  both  Temples  and  ceremonies.  The 
writer  has  consulted  several  Japanese  friends  in  London  as  to  the  other  terms 
in  this  chapter,  but  in  the  absence  of  reference  books  and  of  the  original 
Japanese  version  of  the  Legacy,  none  are  able  to  explain  or  even  translate  them 
any  more  than  the  writer.  Sancho-no-Fuyetsu  probably  refers  to  a sword 
bestowed  by  the  Emperor  on  the  Shogun  at  his  investiture,  though  Fuyetsu 
strictly  means  battle-axe.  Sambo-no-Gorei  probably  means  the  order  or 
commands  of  the  three  precious  things — Buddha,  the  Law,  and  the  Priesthood  ; 
and  Chingo-no-In,  the  protecting  palace,  perhaps  the  castle  of  Nijo.  The  two 
last  explanations  are  in  the  circumstances  little  better  than  guess-work  as 
Sambo  and  In  both  have  many  meanings,  varying  according  to  the  original 
Chinese  characters  with  which  they  are  written. 


396 


APPENDIX  V 


and  low  alike,  are  required,  upon  the  death  of  a blood  rela- 
tion, to  retire  into  solitary  confinement  to  purify  themselves 
from  contaminating  uncleanness,  in  accordance  with  ancient 
custom.  This  custom  should  be  carefully  and  circumspectly 
maintained. 

Chapt.  LXXXVIII. — To  neglect  one’s  daily  occupation  in 
gambling  and  excess  in  wine  to  stupefaction,  is  to  rob  the 
clear  day  light  : and  although  to  yield  to  this  can  hardly  be 
pronounced  an  insubordination,  it  is  a practice  eminently 
calculated  to  have  an  evil  effect  upon  the  lower  classes, 
eventually  resulting  in  the  destruction  of  their  families  and 
the  extermination  of  their  lives. 

It  has  been  well  said  that  “To  be  a teacher  and  not  to 
teach,  is  the  fault  of  the  teacher;  but  to  neglect  his  teaching 
is  the  fault  of  the  pupil.”  By  this  rule  the  severity  or 
leniency  of  the  punishment  should  depend  upon  circum- 
stances. 

Chapt.  LXXXIX. — When  the  four  classes  neglect  their 
several  avocations,  they  are  reduced  to  hunger  and  cold, 
and  eventually  commence  to  break  the  laws,  and  vex  and 
disturb  mankind.  These  are  serious  crimes,  and  should  be 
distinguished  as  capitally  punishable. 

Incendiaries,  forgers  of  seals,  poisoners,  forgers  of  coin, 
all  these  ruffians  are  liable  to  the  severe  punishments  of 
burning,  exposition  of  the  head  after  decapitation,  and 
crucifixion  and  transfixion. 

Chapt.  XC. — In  cases  of  investigation,  if  public  and 
martial  intimidating  power  is  properly  directed,  there  is 
nothing  between  Heaven  and  Earth,  in  the  distant  abodes 
of  the  Barbarians  throughout  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe, 
at  the  roots  of  the  grass,  or  even  under  the  earth,  which 
cannot  be  brought  to  light.  The  only  thing  which  is  difficult 
to  discover  is  the  thread  of  the  heart  of  man.  Yoritomo 
adopted  an  ingenious  plan  of  Sokutaku  of  the  Daito  dynasty,1 
and  caused  the  Sotsu-hearts  of  the  lower  orders  to  be  re- 
flected by  suspending  gold  and  silver,  or  advertising  rewards, 
on  notice  boards  which  were  exhibited  in  the  thoroughfares 
and  streets  of  the  capitals. 

This  custom  is  still  kept  up;  but  it  is  to  be  feared  that 
there  is  an  indisposition  on  the  part  of  samurai  to  respond 
to  the  spirit  of  this  principle  of  reflection. 


Daito,  an  Imperial  dynasty  of  China. 


APPENDIX  V 


397 


Chapt.  XCI. — When  the  Imperial  mode  of  government  is 
unclear,  the  five  grains  do  not  ripen. 

When  punishments  and  executions  abound  in  the  Empire, 
it  may  be  shown  that  the  Shogun  is  without  the  virtue  of 
benevolence,  and  degenerate.  Such  crises  should  induce 
reflection  upon  past  conduct  and  concern  not  to  act  remissly 
or  carelessly.1 

Chapt.  XCII. — When  laws  are  made  by  the  eminent  and 
issued  to  the  people,  a nonconformity  to  the  provisions  of 
such  laws  on  the  part  of  the  eminent  engenders  ridicule  and 
opposition  on  the  part  of  the  lower  orders. 

It  is  no  easy  matter  to  make  one’s  practice  conform  to 
what  one  preaches;  so  that  it  is  incumbent  to  face  one’s 
own  self,  and  investigate  each  particle  of  conduct  with 
grinding  torture. 

Chapt.  XCIII. — When  a Kokushiu  or  Rioshiu  of  great 
wealth  shall  unwittingly  commit  a fault  against  the  Shogun, 
or  in  the  event  of  a difference  of  opinion  between  them,  it 
hardly  amounts  to  a punishable  crime ; but  when  it  is  of 
such  a nature  as  not  to  admit  of  its  being  lightly  passed 
over,  instead  of  criminating  the  offender,  appoint  him  some 
arduous  duty  incommensurate  with  the  amount  of  his 
revenue.2 

Chapt.  XCIV. — The  departure  from  life  of  the  Emperor, 
the  Imperial  Sire,  the  Imperial  spouse  or  the  Imperial  mis- 
tresses, or  any  of  the  Imperial  blood  relations,  are  occasions 
of  profound  darkness,  and  great  and  ominous  calamity  for 
the  whole  Empire.  In  high  antiquity  on  such  occasions  the 
eight  sounds 3 were  suppressed  within  the  four  seas ; and 
holidays  and  festivals  on  the  ist  day  of  the  year  and  months, 
the  “Gosek’ku,”  the  feast  of  the  first  appearance  of  the 
Boar,  and  all  kinds  of  festivals  were  observed  in  silence. 

When  an  occasion  of  public  mourning  arises,  a fixed  term 
of  mourning  should  be  appointed  for  observance  by  the 

1 The  five  grains  are  rice,  barley,  millet,  sorghum  and  beans.  Wheat  is 
included  in  barley. 

2 This  was  the  method  employed  by  Iyeyasu,  when  he  advised  Hideyori 
to  rebuild  the  Temple  of  Daibutsu  at  Osaka. 

3 The  eight  sounds  included  music,  dramatic  performances,  street  cries,  etc. 
The  Go  Sekku  were  the  five  principal  annual  festivals.  The  last  occasion  of 
great  public  mourning  was  on  the  death  of  the  Dowager  Empress  in  1897.  All 
music,  etc.,  was  then  strictly  forbidden  throughout  the  Empire  for  one  month. 


398 


APPENDIX  V 


Ministers  of  State,  the  “ Sanko,”  1 the  Shogun  in  office  at  the 
time,  and  by  all  Government  officers ; during  which  every 
instrument  that  emits  a sound,  of  what  kind  soever,  shall 
cease. 

Chapt.  XCV. — It  is  the  duty  of  the  Shogun  to  provide  the 
necessary  expenses  upon  the  accession  of  the  Emperor  to 
the  throne,  and  for  the  “Daijoye.  ” They  should  not  be 
parsimoniously  diminished  in  an  infinity  of  ways. 

Chapt.  XCVI. — On  those  occasions  when  foreigners  come 
to  offer  presents,  they  should  be  entertained  with  proper 
abundance  and  uniform  politeness.  The  beauty  and  elegance 
of  the  military  accoutrements  and  the  caparisons  of  the 
horses  should  be  made  to  appear  to  the  utmost  advantage. 
From  the  port  at  which  the  ship  arrives,  as  far  as  the  Yedo 
capital,  whether  the  road  lie  through  Government  or  other 
territory,  the  castles  and  moats,  and  all  the  houses  on  the 
way  should  be  in  a thorough  and  complete  state  of  repair, 
that  the  broad  and  extensive  affluence,  and  the  intrepidity  of 
the  military  power  of  the  Empire  may  shine  forth.  The 
whole  management  should  be  undertaken  by  the  Ministers 
of  the  ShOgun. 

Chapt.  XCVI  I. — When  foreign  vessels  arrive  by  chance 
at  our  shores  information  of  the  fact  shall  immediately  be 
given,  and  by  means  of  written  communication  through  an 
interpreter  their  business  shall  be  learned.  According  to 
circumstances,  they  shall  be  treated  with  commiseration  and 
benevolence,  or  with  dignified  reserve.  In  all  cases  a guard 
shall  be  placed  on  board  for  their  restraint. 

Chapt.  XCVIII. — The  accessor  to  the  imperial  throne 
should  look  upon  the  people  as  one  who  nourishes  an  infant. 
How  much  more  should  the  Shogun  to  whom  the  Empire  is 
entrusted  cherish  this  feeling.  The  term  applied  to  this 
feeling  is  “ benevolence  ” ; and  benevolence  includes  the 
whole  of  the  five  relations.  Further  through  its  practice  the 
noble  and  ignoble  become  apparent. 

I,  having  learnt  this,  distinguish  between  the  attachment 
of  the  Fudai  and  the  reserve  of  the  Tozama;  nor  is  this 
discrimination  at  all  at  variance  with  Heavenly  principles ; 
it  is  by  no  means  a partial  and  one-sided  idea  of  my  own. 

1 The  Sanko  were  the  three  principal  ministers  of  state  at  the  Imperial 
Court  at  Kioto,  the  Daijo  Daijin,  the  Prime  Minister,  and  the  Sa  Daijin  and  U 
Daii.in — the  ministers  of  the  Left  and  Right.  In  Japan,  the  left  takes  precedence 
of  the  right. 


APPENDIX  V 


399 


I cannot  particularly  accord  this  for  transmission  to 
posterity  by  tongue  or  pen  ; but  it  is  a subject  which  will 
naturally  develop  itself  if  viewed  with  deep  attention  from 
a medium  point  between  the  two  extremes. 

Chapt.  XCIX. — When  rewards  and  punishments  are  not 
properly  administered,  faithful  servants  are  hidden,  and  not 
made  manifest ; when  they  are  properly  regulated  all  man- 
kind esteem  the  one  and  dread  the  other. 

There  should  not  be  the  difference  of  the  slightest  particle 
of  dust  either  in  excess  or  insufficiency ; but  they  should  be 
administered  with  self-possession,  and  after  deep  reflection. 

Confucius  has  exemplified  my  meaning  in  his  “Comments 
on  the  Law  of  the  Mind.” 

Chapt.  C. — Since  I have  attained  to  my  present  office,  I 
have  increased  and  diminished  the  ancient  examples  of  suc- 
cessive generations  of  the  house  of  Gen  : and  although  I 
have  drawn  up  these  several  heads  of  rules  of  conduct,  my 
object  has  been  to  be  a transmitter,  not  a framer.  I have 
not  allowed  myself  to  be  in  the  slightest  degree  influenced 
by  selfish  motives ; but  have  rather  embodied  the  foregoing 
Chapters  as  an  example,  which,  although  it  may  not  hit  the 
mark,  will  not  be  very  far  wide. 

In  all  questions  of  policy  cherish  precedents  and  do  not 
give  exclusive  attention  to  small  or  large  matters ; let  this 
be  the  rule  of  your  conduct. 

There  are  further  subjects  I would  bring  under  notice,  but 
I have  no  leisure. 

Let  my  posterity  thoroughly  practise  with  their  bodies  the 
particulars  I have  above  declared.  They  are  not  permitted 
to  be  looked  upon  save  by  the  Fudai-Gorojiu.  In  them  I 
have  exposed  and  laid  bare  the  limited  reflections  of  my 
breast.  Let  not  future  generations  be  induced  to  ridicule 
me  as  having  the  heart  of  a venerable  old  grandmother. 

I bequeath  this  record  to  my  posterity. 


APPENDIX  VI 


LIST  OF  AUTHORITIES  CONSULTED 


Tavernier 

Receuil  des  Plusieurs  Relations. 

Part  II.  Japan  .... 

1681 

L’Abbe  de  T.  . 

History  of  the  Church  in  Japan  . 

1707 

Kaempfer 

History  of  Japan.  (Reprinted  in 

three  volumes,  1906) 

1727 

Alcock  . 

Capital  of  the  Tycoon.  Two 

volumes  ..... 

1863 

Dickson  . 

Japan  ...... 

1869 

Mitford  . 

Tales  of  Old  Japan.  Two  volumes 

1871 

Adams 

History  of  Japan.  Two  volumes  . 

1874 

Griffis  . 

The  Mikado’s  Empire  . 

1876 

The  Japan  Mail  . 

. . . . . . 1870- 

-1877 

Chamberlain  . 

Classical  Poetry  of  the  Japanese  . 

1880 

Black 

Maunde  Thompson 

Young  Japan.  Two  volumes 

1881 

(Editor) 

Diary  of  Richard  Cocks,  Cape 
Merchant  in  the  English  Factory 
in  Japan,  1615-1622.  Printed 

for  the  Hakluyt  Society 

1883 

Satow  and  Hawes  . 

Murray’s  Handbook.  Second  edi- 

tion ...... 

1884 

Denning 

Life  and  Times  of  Hideyoshi 

1890 

Batchelor 

The  Ainu  of  Japan 

1892 

Murray  . 

Japan.  The  Story  of  the  Nations 

1896 

Chamberlain  . 

Things  Japanese.  Third  edition  . 

1898 

Aston 

A History  of  Japanese  Literature  . 

^99 

Satow  (Editor) 

The  Voyage  of  John  Saris  to  Japan 
in  1613.  Printed  for  the  Hak- 

luyt Society  .... 

1900 

Aston 

Shinto.  The  Way  of  the  Gods 
400 

i9°5 

APPENDIX  VI 


401 


TRANSACTIONS  OF  THE  ASIATIC  SOCIETY  OF  JAPAN 


Satow  . 

The  Geography  of  Japan 

Vol. 

1 

The  Shinto  Temples  of  Ise  . 

J J 

2 

«) 

The  Revival  of  Pure  Shinto 

> J 

3 

Aston  . 

An  Ancient  Japanese  Classic 

>> 

3 

Grigsby 

The  Legacy  of Iyeyasu 

n 

3 

McClatchie  . 

Japanese  Heraldry  .... 

>5 

5 

Longford 

The  Japanese  Penal  Codes  . 

5 

Gubbins 

Introduction  of  Christianity  into  Japan 
and  China  ..... 

>» 

6 

Atkinson 

Water  Supply  of  Tokio 

6 

McClatchie  . 

The  Castle  of  Yedo  .... 

n 

6 

Aston  . 

Hideyoshi’s  Invasion  of  Korea  . 

n 

6 

Hattori 

Destructive  Earthquakes  in  Japan 

6 

Satow  . 

The  Church  of  Yamaguchi,  1550-1586 

7 

Stout  . 

Inscriptions  in  Shimabara  and  Amakusa 

)> 

7 

Anderson 

A History  of  Japanese  Art  . 

> > 

7 

Aston  . 

H.M.S.  Phaeton  at  Nagasaki  in  1808  . 

>> 

7 

Summers 

Notes  on  Osaka  ..... 

>> 

7 

Gubbins 

Hideyoshi  and  the  Satsuma  Clan  in  the 
Sixteenth  Century  .... 

8 

Aston  . 

Hideyoshi’s  Invasion  of  Korea.  Parts 
II.  and  III 

n 

9 

Woolley 

Historical  Notes  on  Nagasaki 

>> 

9 

Milne  . 

The  Pitdwellers  of  Yezo  and  the  Kurile 
Islands  ...... 

10 

Chamberlain 

Translation  of  the  Kojiki  . 

» 

10 

Aston  . 

Hideyoshi’s  Invasion  of  Korea.  Part 
IV 

>> 

1 1 

Geerts  . 

The  Arima  Rebellion  and  the  Conduct 
of  Koeckebecker  .... 

n 

1 1 

Summers 

Buddhism.  Translations  concerning  its 
Introduction  into  Japan  . 

n 

14 

Gubbins 

The  Feudal  System  under  the  Toku- 
gawa  Shoguns  ..... 

15 

Aston  . 

Early  Japanese  History 

>> 

16 

Clements 

The  Tokugawa  Princes  of  Mito  . 

» 

18 

D D 


402 


APPENDIX  VI 


Satow  . 

The  Origin  of  Spanish  and  Portuguese 
Rivalry  in  Japan  .... 

Vol. 

18 

Meriwether 

Life  of  Date  Masamune 

>> 

21 

Droppers 

The  Population  of  Japan  in  the  Toku- 
gawa Period  ..... 

J) 

22 

Dooman 

The  Origin  of  the  Japanese  Race 

>> 

25 

>> 

The  Beginning  of  Japanese  History 

JJ 

25 

Riess  . 

The  History  of  the  English  Factory  at 
Hirado  ...... 

26 

Hall  . 

The  Hojo  Code  ..... 

>> 

34 

J)  • 

The  Ashikaga  Code  .... 

JJ 

36 

Bramsen 

Japanese  Chronology  .... 

)> 

37 

Clements 

Comparative  Chronological  Tables 

J ? 

37 

TRANSACTIONS  OF  THE  JAPAN  SOCIETY  OF  LONDON 


Aston 

Goh  . 
Yamashita 

Hayashi  . 
Gowland  . 
Harding-Smith 
Ukita 
Crewdson 

Hamaguchi 

Diosy 

Longford 
Redesdale 
Takakura 
Garbutt  . 
Aston 


The  Family  and  Relationships  in 
Ancient  Japan  .... 
The  Family  Relations  in  Japan  . 

Thelnfluence  of  Shinto  and  Buddhism 
in  Japan  ..... 

The  Fall  of  the  Tokugawa  Government 
Exploration  of  the  Dolmens  of  Japan 
The  Cha-no-Yu  (Tea  Ceremony) 

The  Imperial  Regalia  of  Japan  . 

The  Dawn  of  Western  Influence  in 
Japan  ...... 

Striking  Female  Personalities  in 
Japanese  History  .... 

Will  Adams,  the  first  Englishman  in 
Japan  ...... 

England’s  Record  in  Japan 
Three  Hundred  Years  Ago 
Buddhism  as  We  find  it  in  Japan 
Military  Works  in  Old  Japan  . 
Translation  of  the  Nihongi.  Two 
volumes  . . Supplement. 


Vol.  2 
>>  2 


>> 


>> 

5) 


4 

4 

4 

5 

6 


6 


JJ 


6 


» 7 
„ 7 
„ 8 

„ 7 


(r896) 


KURILE  ISLANDS 


;™o*,0rv'W) 


GLOSJ 


provinc: 

( Kuni  j 


Haro,  or  Bara. Plain 

Saki  orZaki  Cape 

Take  or  Bake Peak 


INDEX 


A 

Abdication,  74,  75 

Adams,  Will,  his  early  life,  291  ; lands  in 
Japan,  292  ; appears  before  Iyeyasu,  293  ; 
death,  293 

Admiral  Putiatin  and  crew  wrecked,  301 
Admiral  Sir  James  Stirling  calls  at  Nagasaki, 
301 

Adzuma,  Provinces  of  (origin  of  name),  41 
Ainu,  description  of,  4 ; decline  of,  28 
Akashi,  116 

Akechi  Mitsuhide,  trusted  general  of  No- 
bunaga,  175  ; treachery,  176  ; death,  179  ; 
wife  of,  251  ; daughter  of,  251 
Alcock,  Sir  Rutherford,  first  British  minister 
to  Japan,  324,  326 

Aina  no  Uki  Bashi,  bridge  of  Heaven,  11 
Ama  no  Uzume,  dances  before  Cave  of  Sun 
Goddess,  15 

Ama  tsu  Koyane,  divine  ancestor  of  the 
Fujiwara,  15  ; attends  sacred  mirror,  22 
Amakusa,  Island  of,  235  ; revolt  at,  239 ; 
women  fight,  240 

Antoku,  Emperor,  100 ; carried  away  by 
Munemori,  112 

Aoto  Fujitsuna,  the  incorrupt  judge,  140 
Arima,  revolution  in,  232  ; as  Christian  settle- 
ment, 234,  235  ; Prince  of,  239  ; churches 
demolished  in,  248  ; slaughter  of  Portu- 
guese by  Prince  of,  256 
Art  of  writing  introduced,  8 
Asamayama,  eruption  of  Mount,  309 
Ashigara,  Pass  of,  105 

Ashikaga,  territorial  title  of,  84  ; Shoguns, 
list  of,  161  ; interest  of  Shoguns  in 
Europeans,  161 

Atsumori,  bravery  of,  118  ; death  of,  119 
Atsuta,  temple  of,  16 
Augustin  priests,  arrival  in  Japan,  255 
Awa,  Province  of,  105,  139 
Awaji,  Island  of,  2 ; Gods  first  descend  at,  12 
Azai,  Prince  of  Bizen,  201 
Azuchi,  castle  of,  177  ; temple  built  by 
Nobunaga,  177 

B 

Bakufu,  term  for  Shogun's  government,  313 
Baniu,  River,  129 
Bell  of  temple  of  Daibutsu,  216 
Benkei,  appearance  of,  no;  devotion  to 
Yoshitsune,  125  ; death  of,  125 

D D 2 


Bidatsu,  Emperor,  63 

Bizen,  Prince  of,  201;  retainers  of,  assault 
French  marine,  341 
Buddha,  doctrines  of,  61  ; image  of,  61 
Buddhism,  scorned  by  Nobunaga,  172  ; 

restored  to  favour,  279 
Bungo,  Prince  of,  277  ; sends  for  Mendez 
Pinto,  277 

Byodo-In,  Buddhist  monastery,  114 
C 

Caravail,  Father,  torture  of,  263-267 
Cathay,  the  object  of  explorers,  275 
Cave  dwellers,  4 
Census,  annual,  309 
Chang  Cheung,  Island  of,  231 
Cha-no-Yu,  ceremony  of,  162 
China,  Emperor  of,  197 ; message  to 
Hideyoshi,  197 

Chinchu,  taken  by  Japanese,  194 
Chinese  ambassadors,  first  arrival  of,  55 
Chinese  Embassy  to  Hideyori,  failure  of, 

245 

Chinese  influence  felt,  50,  69,  74 
Chingu,  rank  of,  100 
Chishima,  Myriad  Isles,  1 
ChoDensu,  great  painter,  163 
Cholera,  outbreaks  of,  309,  319 
Choshiu,  Prince  of,  joins  league  against 
Iyeyasu,  207:  joins  side  of  Emperor,  317 
hatred  of  foreigners,  332  ; insults  to  foreign 
ships,  333  ; takes  part  in  battle  of  Fushimi, 
_ 338  . . 

Christianity  introduced,  227  ; downfall  of, 
273 

Christopher  Columbus,  sets  forth  to  find  new 
way  to  Zipangu,  275 
Chuai,  Emperor,  43 
Churches,  destruction  of,  248 
Cocks,  Richard,  293 ; takes  charge  of 
Hirado  factory,  293-4 
Code  of  laws  drawn  up,  69 
Commercial  intercourse  with  foreigners,  325  ; 

treaty  negotiated  by  Harris,  324 
Commodore  Perry,  expedition  to  Japan,  283. 
299 

Concubines,  position  of  the  Emperor’s,  31  ; 
children  of,  49  ; authority  of  husband  over, 
50  ; Hideyoshi’s,  233,  252 
Consul,  first  American,  302 
Cosmo  de  Torres,  arrival  of,  228-231  ; takes 
charge  of  Yamaguchi  mission,  250 


403 


404 


INDEX 


Cotton,  when  introduced,  48 
Council  of  Gods,  19 
Cross,  trampling  on,  273 
Crucifixion,  practised  in  Japan,  247 

D 

Daibutsu;  temple  at  Kioto,  215 
Dai  jo  Dai  Jin,  office  of,  instituted,  99 
Daimios,  rank  of,  83  ; meaning  of  word, 
225  ; advocate  resistance  to  Perry,  300  ; 
opinion  of,  concerning  foreigners,  336 
Dai  Nihonshi,  when  compiled,  312 
Dan  no  Ura,  great  battle  of,  1 19-123 
Da  Silva,  comrade  of  Xavier,  231 
Desima,  Island  of,  285  ; description,  286 
Deva  kings,  images  made  by  Mumayado, 

65 

Divine  descent  of  the  Emperor,  26 
Divine  sword,  where  found,  16 
Dogs  in  Japan,  304 
Dokio,  monk,  79 

Dominican  priests  come  to  Japan,  255 
Dutch  gain  foothold  in  Japan,  255  ; gain 
permission  to  trade,  261  ; take  part  in  siege 
of  Shimabara,  272 ; factory  at  Hirado, 
280;  treachery  to  Portuguese,  281; 
transfer  to  Nagasaki,  286;  ships,  289;  trade, 
290  ; corvette  fired  on  at  Shimonoseki,  333 

E 

Ear  Mound  (Mimidzuka)  at  Kioto,  origin 
of,  198 

Earthquakes,  occurrence  of  disastrous,  196 ; 

cause  death  of  104,000  persons,  319 
East  India  Company  sends  ship  to  Japan, 
293 

Echigo,  Province  of,  115 
Echizen,  Province  of,  180 
Eight  Hand  Crow  guides  Jimmu,  26 
Elgin,  Lord,  treaty  with  Japan,  297 
Embassy  sent  to  the  Pope,  239 ; second, 
sent  by  Prince  Dat6  to  the  Pope,  267  ; to 
United  States,  328 

Empress,  Grand,  chief  wife  of  the  Emperor, 
31 

English  ship  Clove  at  Hirado,  293  ; Return 
at  Nagasaki,  296  ; Phaeton  at  Nagasaki, 
297 

Europeans’  first  appearance  in  Japan,  167 
Expulsion  of  foreigners  ordered,  333 

F 

“ False  Emperors,”  ignored  in  official  list 
of  Sovereigns,  157 

Famine,  caused  by  drought  and  floods, 
3°8,  3°9 

Fernandez,  John,  comrade  of  Xavier,  228 
Feudal  system  organized  and  established, 
212 ; death  of,  349 
Firearms  presented  to  Japanese,  277 
Franciscans,  arrive  in  Japan,  242 
Fudai  lords,  created  by  Iyeyasu,  212 
Fugitive  European  priests,  260 
Fuji  river,  retreat  of  the  Taira  at,  107 
Fujiwara  family,  divine  descent  of ; found- 
ing of,  73  ; unscrupulous  use  of  power 


over  Emperor,  77;  usurpers  of  the  Im- 
perial rights,  81  ; revolt  of  the,  against 
the  Throne,  87  ; Empresses  chosen  from 
the,  100 

Fujiyama,  description  of,  106;  eruption  of, 
306 

Fukui,  siege  of,  181 

Fukuwara,  palace  at,  101  ; Munemori 
retreats  to,  112  ; battle  at,  116 
Funai,  Port  of,  277 
Funeral  ceremonies  modified,  34 
Fusan,  Japanese  landing  at,  192 
Fushimi,  Hideyoshi  resides  at,  201  ; became 
seat  of  government  and  taken  by  assault, 
207  ; battle  of,  339 

Futsu  Nushi  (The  Snapping  Master),  son  of 
Izanagi,  20 

G 

Gemmyo,  Empress,  77 

Gem-Pei  period  ended,  129 

Genroku,  noted  period,  306 

Gifu,  famous  for  cormorant-fishing,  41 

Ginkakuji,  monastery  of,  162,  208 

Goa,  Xavier’s  head-quarters  in  Far  East,  228  ; 

trade  between  China  and,  276 
Go  Daigo,  Emperor,  142  ; character  of,  153  ; 
fled  from  the  capital  with  the  Imperial 
regalia,  155  ; rooms  and  grave  of,  156 
God  of  Fire,  last  deity  produced  by  Izanagi 
and  Izanami,  13 

Go  Kameyama,  the  Southern  Emperor, 
surrenders  regalia,  157 
Go  Komatsu,  one  of  the  “ False  Emperors,” 
x57 . 

Go-Kinai,  five  provinces  called,  46  ; bound- 
ary of  the  Shogun’s  power,  230 
Gongen,  meaning  of  the  term,  221 
Gorojiu,  council  of  elders,  223 
Go  San  Kei,  three  illustrious  families,  307 
Go  San  Kio,  three  noble  families,  307 
Go-Shirakawa,  Emperor,  90  ; abdicates,  92 
Gotemba,  great  hunting  camp  of,  106 
Go  Toba,  Emperor,  126  ; character  of,  137  ; 
banishment  of,  139 

Goto,  founder  of  the  art  of  damascening,  163 
Goto  Islands,  church  founded  by  Christians 
in,  231 

Go  Uda,  Emperor,  invokes  aid  of  Sun 
Goddess  at  Ise,  150 

Gunpowder,  introduced  by  the  Portuguese, 


Hachiman,  the  God  of  War,  46;  temple  of, 
134  ; new,  199 
Hakone  Pass,  104 
Hall  of  Audience,  195 
Hara-kiri , voluntary  suicide,  34,  254 
Harima,  Province  of,  57 
H arris  Townsend,  first  American  consul, 
302  ; character  of,  302 
Hasekura,  ambassador  to  Pope,  269 
Hasbiri-midzu,  “running  water,”  40 
“Heavenly  deities,”  created,  n 
“ Heavenly  Young  Prince,”  sent  to  earth  an 
ambassador,  19  ; death  of,  20 
Heian  Period,  four  centuries  of,  80 


INDEX 


405 


Hiakunin,  ex-Buddhist  priest,  233  ; a bitter 
enemy  of  the  Christians,  246 
Hidenobu,  nephew  of  Nobunaga,  207  ; his 
castle  of  Gifu,  208  ; zealous  Christian,  208 
Hidetada,  becomes  Shogun,  303 
Hidetsugu,  parents  of,  200  ; attitude  towards 
Christianity,  201  ; dissensions  with  Hide- 
yoshi,  202 ; banished  and  ordered  to 
commit  hara-kiri,  203 
Hideyori,  son  of  Hideyoshi,  resides  at  Osaka, 
215;  rebuilds  temple  of  Daibutsu,  216; 
defends  castle  of  Ozaka,  218  ; defends  and 
fails  to  keep  the  castle  in  a second  siege, 
220 

Hideyoshi,  of  humble  origin,  182  ; reforms 
introduced  by,  184  ; his  revenge  for  No- 
bunaga’s  death,  179  ; adoption  into 
Fujiwara  family,  184  ; expedition  against 
Satsuma,  186 ; peaceful  settlement  of 
difficulties,  188  ; assumes  the  title  of  Taiko, 
191 ; invades  Korea  and  defeats  Koreans, 
192  ; receives  Chinese  embassy,  196 ; 
second  invasion  of  Korea,  197  ; character 
and  death,  199  and  248  ; what  Japan  owes 
to,  199  ; son  of,  201  ; guardians  of  his  son 
appointed  by,  206  ; treatment  of  Christians, 
232  ; reason  for  expulsion  of  Christians, 
?34  . 

Hige  Kin,  sword,  89 
Hikone,  family  of,  320 

Hirado,  mission  established  by  Jesuits,  229  ; 
conference  of  Jesuit  Fathers,  238  ; Dutch 
factory,  280  ; Dutch  factory  destroyed  by 
order,  286 

History  of  the  Church  in  Japan,  compiled, 
167  ; quotations  from,  236 
Hitotsubashi,  candidate  for  the  Shogunate, 
323  ; becomes  Shogun,  336 
Hiuga,  Province  of,  5 

Hiyei,  Mount,  87  ; monasteries  built  on,  159  ; 

priests  of,  173  ; destruction  of,  174 
Hiza  Kiri,  sword,  89. 

Hojo,  family  of  the,  102  ; historical  reputa- 
tion of  the,  135  ; treason  to  their  Emperors, 
151  . 

Hokkaido,  district  of,  2 
Hondo,  main  island  of  Japan,  2 
Honno  temple,  to  the  memory  of  Princess 
Tachibana,  40 

Ho-O,  or  cloistered  Emperors,  75 
Horai  San,  the  land  of  eternal  life,  56 
Hoyei,  peak  on  Fujiyama’s  north-western 
slope,  306 

I 

Ibuki,  Mount,  41 
Ichi  no  Tani,  battle  of,  117 
Idzu,  Province  of,  97 
Idzumi  Nada,  Bay  of,  116 
Ii  Naosuke,  Kamon  no  Kami,  prime 
minister,  319;  concludes  treaties  with 
foreign  powers,  324  ; murder,  330 
Iki  no  Ama,  step-mother  of  Kiyomori,  pleads 
for  the  life  of  Yoritomo,  97 
Imna,  kingdom  of  Korea,  55 
Imperial  regalia,  divine  origin  of,  16; 

priestess  appointed  to  watch  over,  33 
Inaba,  Princess,  wife  of  Onamuji,  18; 
legend  of  the  white  hare  of,  18 


Ingyo,  Emperor,  52 
Inland  Sea,  334 

Ise,  shrines  of,  built  by  Princess  Yamato,  33  ; 

province  of,  338 
Ishibashi,  Mount,  104 

Ishida  Mitsunari,  headed  a league  against 
Iyeyasu,  207 ; execution  of,  210 
Itakura  Shigemasa  besieges  Shimabara,  271  ; 
death  of,  272 

Iyemitsu,  grandson  of  Iyeyasu,  closes  the 
country  to  foreigners,  282  ; persecutes  the 
Christians,  304  ; feeling  to  foreigners,  315  ; 
retirement  of,  347 
Iyemochi,  Prince  of  Ki,  324 
Iyenobu,  Shogun,  307 
Iyesada,  Shogun,  319  ; death  of,  319 
Iyetsuga,  the  last  direct  descendant  of 
Iyeyasu,  307 

Iyeyasu,  birth  and  descent,  206 ; founds 
Yedo,  206;  war  with  league,  207;  ap- 
pointed Shogun,  21 1 ; government  of,  212  ; 
abdication,  214  ; differences  with  Hideyori, 
215  ; captures  castle  of  Osaka,  220  ; death, 
220  ; legacy,  223  ; persecution  of  Christians, 
258  ; reception  of  Will  Adams,  282  ; grants 
trade  privileges  to  English,  294 
I-zame-shimidzu,  spring  of,  42 
Izanagi,  deity  who  created  the  earth,  11  ; 

ascent  of,  to  heaven,  14 
Izanami,  divine  consort  of  Izanagi,  12  ; death 

of,  13 

Izumo,  Province  of,  5 


J 

Japan,  described,  1 
Japanese,  seclusion  of,  298 
Jesuits,  arrive  in  Japan,  227  ; encouraged  by 
Nobunaga,  168  ; cause  of  Hideyoshi’s 
unfavourable  attitude  towards,  234  ; success 
of,  279 

Jimmu  Tenno,  divine  descent,  23  ; heads 
colonizing  expedition,  24  ; date  of  death 
of,  27 

Jingo,  Empress,  wife  of  Chuai,  43  ; influence 
of  her  invasion  of  Korea  on  destinies  of 
Japan,  45 

Jintoku,  Emperor,  137 
Jomei,  Emperor,  137 
Josetsu,  famous  painter,  163 
Joshu,  meaning  of  word,  225 


K 

Kadzusa,  temple  erected  at,  40 
Kagoshima,  Prince  of,  turns  against  Chris- 
tians, 229 ; English  ships  off,  332  ; bom- 
bardment of,  332 
Kaikwa,  Empress,  37 

Kamakura  rises  to  importance,  80  ; becomes 
the  residence  of  Yoritomo,  108  ; temple  at, 
134  ; capture  of,  144  ; downfall  of,  16 1 
Kamatari,  the  founder  of  the  Fujiwara 
family,  73 

Kamo  River,  the  place  of  execution,  96 
Kanda,  temple  of,  19 
Karatsu,  port  of,  191 

Kashiwabara,  the  first  capital  of  Japan,  26 


406 


INDEX 


Kato  Kiyomasa  commands  the  army  in 
Korea,  193 ; hatred  towards  Christians, 
240 

Kimmei,  Emperor,  60 ; court  of,  influenced 
by  Buddhism,  61 
Kinkakuji,  monastery  of,  162 
Kioto,  the  Imperial  capital,  80;  Xavier’s 
mission  to,  229  ; persecution  of  the  Chris- 
tians in,  259;  Dutch  visit,  289;  first  visit 
of  foreign  representatives,  345 
Kishiu,  Province  of,  212 
Kiushiu,  Island  of,  2 

Kiyomori,  the  head  of  the  Taira  family,  88  ; 
rises  to  fame,  94;  death  of,  in  ; one  of 
Japan’s  greatest  statesmen  and  generals, 
130 

Koeckebecker,  head  of  Dutch  factory  at 
IJirado,  271  ; action  at  Shimabara,  271 
Kogioku,  Empress,  builds  the  temple  of 
ZenkGji,  64 

Kojiki,  records  of  ancient  matters,  9 
Kokushu,  meaning  of,  225 
Komei,  Emperor,  316 ; opposes  foreign  in- 
fluence, 316  ; death  of,  336 
Korea,  invaded  by  the  Empress  Jingo,  45  ; 
civilization  of,  affects  Japan,  60 ; sends 
ambassadors  to  Japan,  190  ; invaded  by 
Hideyoshi’s  army,  191  ; defeats  Japanese 
navy,  192  ; armistice  concluded  with  Japan, 
194  ; sends  second  embassy  to  Japan,  196  ; 
return  of  Japanese  soldiers  from,  198 
Kotoko,  Empress,  makes  new  funeral  regu- 
lations, 35 

Koyane  tsu  Ame,  God,  184 
Kuambaku,  office  of,  74  ; title  of,  conferred 
on  Hideyoshi,  184 
Kuanto,  plains  of,  47 
Kubi  dzuka,  209 

Kublai  Khan,  embassy  to  Japan,  147  ; expe- 
dition against  Japan,  148  ; second  embassy, 
148;  attempted  invasion  of  Japan,  149; 
fleet  destroyed,  150 
Kug£,  Court  nobles,  83 
Kumagai  Naozane,  slayer  of  Atsumori,  118 
Kurile  Islands,  1 
Kurodani,  monastery  of,  119 
Kuro  Siwo,  Black  Brine,  current  of,  5 
Kurumayama,  monastery  of,  108 
Kusa-nagi,  the  sword  of  Yamato  Dak£,  40 

L 

Land  of  Night,  13 

Legacy  of  Iyeyasu,  original  copy,  223  ; its 
provisions,  224 

Lincoln,  compared  to  Hideyoshi,  182 
M 

Malay  element  in  Japanese,  5 
Marco  Polo’s  first  mention  of  Japan,  275 
Masago,  wife  of  Yoritomo,  102  ; character 
of,  131  ; known  as  the  Ama  ShOgun,  138  ; 
speech  at  Kamakura,  138 
Masahige,  the  model  of  unselfish  loyalty,  154 
Masamune  (Dat£),  persecutes  Christians  in 
Oshiu,  267 ; sends  embassy  to  the  Pope, 
268 

Masanobu  the  classical  painter,  163 


Mastrilli,  martyrdom  of,  266 
Masukado,  rebel,  86 ; death  of,  87 
Medicine,  Chinese,  introduced,  52 
Mikawa,  Province  of,  206 
Mimidzuka,  “ear  mound”  at  Kioto,  198 
Minamoto,  family  of,  came  into  existence, 
84  ; struggle  with  the  Taira,  95  ; massacre 
of,  112;  triumph  of  the,  117 
Minato  gawa,  scene  of  great  battle,  116; 

Takauji  defeats  the  Imperial  army  at,  154 
Mino,  Province  of,  41 
Mirror,  Heavenly,  22 
Mission  to  the  Pope,  vide  Pope 
Mito,  Prince  of,  founded  a great  school  of 
learning,  312 ; advance  of  learning  under, 
313  ; Samurai  assassinate  Ii  Naosuke,  330 
Mitsuhige,  famous  painter,  163 
Mogusa,  or  burning  grass,  65 
Mononobe,  clan  of,  65 

Moon  God,  produced,  12  ; rarely  mentioned, 

14. 

Mori,  lord  of  the  Western  Provinces  of  Main 
Island,  rebels  against  Nobunaga,  175 ; 
makes  overtures  for  peace,  178  ; becomes 
ally  of  Hideyoshi,  186  ; befriends  the 
Christians,  250.  See  also  Choshiu 
Mountain  of  Martyrs,  284 
Mountains  of  Japan,  3 

Mumayado,  a sincere  Buddhist  at  sixteen, 
65  ; birth  and  piety  of,  66 ; builds  temple 
of  Tennoji  and  places  therein  holy  relic, 
67  ; as  statesman,  68  ; reforms  introduced 
by,  69  ; death  of,  70 

Muretsu,  Emperor,  noted  for  his  cruelty,  59 
Muromachi,  Palace  at  Kioto,  158 
Mutsuhito,  reigning  emperor,  336 
Mutsunobu,  celebrated  painter,  163 


N 

Nagasaki,  Christian  priests  sent  from, 
259 ; scene  of  severest  persecution,  260  ; 
Father  Sotelo  burnt  at,  269  ; foundation  of 
greatness  of,  278 ; harbour,  284 ; Dutch 
settlement,  286 
Nagato,  Province  of,  212 
Nara,  capital  established  at,  77  ; description 
of,  78 ; capital  removed  to  Kioto,  80 
Nariaki,  Prince  of  Mito,  319 ; resignation, 
323  ; death  of,  330 
Nihon  Guaishi,  completed,  313 
Nihongi,  9 

Nikko,  mausoleum  of,  erected  by  Hidetada, 

3°3 

Nintoku,  the  Wise  Emperor,  remits  taxation, 
etc.,  51 

Nitta  Yoshisada,  Minamoto  warrior,  casts 
his  sword  into  the  sea  and  prays  to  sea- 
god,  145 ; faithful  to  the  Emperor  Go 
Daigo,  153  ; death  of,  154 
NO,  classical  drama,  163 
Nobunaga  (Ota),  origin  of,  166;  description 
by  Jesuit  Fathers,  168  ; relations  towards 
the  Emperor,  171  ; attitude  towards 
Buddhists,  174  ; proclaimed  himself  a 
god,  176 ; death  of,  176 
Numadzu,  town  on  the  Tokaido,  the  meeting 
place  of  Yoritomo  and  Yoshitsune,  108 


INDEX 


407 


o 

Official  distinctions  arranged,  69 
O-gon-sui  (the  yellow  metal  water),  the 
inexhaustible  well,  218 
Ojin,  Emperor,  birth  of,  45  ; worshipped  as 
Hachiman,  the  God  of  War,  46 
Okasaki,  birthplace  of  Iyeyasu,  206 
Oki,  Island  of,  2 
Omi,  Province,  41 

Omura,  riots  in,  232 ; prince  converted  to 
Christianity,  239 ; churches  demolished, 
248  ; execution  of  Christians,  266  ; effects 
of  Portuguese  trade  with,  277 
Onogoro,  Island  of,  11 

Organtin,  Father,  thirty  years  in  Japan,  242 
Osaka,  rises  to  importance,  184  ; castle  taken 
by  Iyeyasu,  207  ; commercial  importance, 
214  ; castle  described  by  Saris,  217  ; palace 
burnt,  339 ; port  opened  to  foreign  trade, 
34? 

Oshiba,  treacherous  murder  of,  54 
Oshima,  Island,  91  ; Christians  banished  to, 
257 

Oto  Tachibana  (Princess),  40 
Otsu,  town  of,  96 

Owari,  Yamato  Dak6  at,  42  ; province,  182; 
childhood  of  Hideyoshi  spent  in,  183  : 
gulf,  208 

P 

Parkes,  Sir  Harry,  British  minister,  340, 
342  ; attacked  by  fanatical  Japanese,  345 
Pekche,  King  of,  sends  embassy  to  Japan, 
61 

Perry,  Commodore,  heads  expedition  to 
Japan  from  America,  299  ; delivers  letter 
from  the  President  to  the  Emperor,  300  ; 
treaty  negotiated  by,  300 
Persecution  of  Christians  commences  under 
Hideyoshi,  234  ; in  Arima,  258;  described, 
263,  266 

Physical  characteristics  of  Japanese,  7 
Pinto  Mendez,  Portuguese  merchant,  be- 
friends Jesuits,  231  ; arrival  in  Japan,  277 
Piracy,  147 

Pirates,  Dutch,  256,  261 
Plain  of  High  Heaven,  14 
Pope,  embassy  from  Japan  to  the,  239; 
second  embassy  sent  to  the,  by  Northern 
prince,  268 

Population  under  the  Tokugawas,  309 
Portuguese  merchants’  and  sailors'  evil  beha- 
viour, 233  ; destruction  of  ship,  257 
Portuguese  trade  with  Japan,  279  ; embassy 
arrives  from  Macao,  283 


R 

Race,  Japanese,  probable  origin  of,  5 
Rank,  Chinese  distinctions  of,  69 
Regalia,  divine  origin  of  the  Imperial,  16 
Richardson,  murder  of,  331 
Rock  Cave  of  Heaven,  sun-goddess  secludes 
herself  in,  15 

Rodriguez,  Father,  left  as  agent  at  Kioto, 
241 


RSnin,  description  of,  318;  murder  ofli 
Naosuke,  330 

Russian  ship  Diana  wrecked,  301  ; admiral 
concludes  convention  with  Japan,  301 


S 

Sacred  sword,  lent  to  Yamato  Dak£,  39 
Sado,  Island  of,  2 ; famed  for  its  gold  mines, 
255 

Sakai,  battle  of,  169 

Sakayamune,  image  of,  sent  to  Japan,  61 
Samegai,  village  of,  42 

Samurai,  privileged  to  wear  arms,  83 ; 
Iyeyasu  enjoins  courtesy  towards,  225 ; 
relation  to  their  overlords,  318 
Saris,  Captain  John,  arrives  in  Japan  and 
has  interview  with  Iyeyasu,  293  ; failure 
of  factory,  296 

Sarugashima,  rebel  court  of  Masakado  held 
at,  86 

Satsuma,  invaded  by  Hideyoshi,  185  ; 
courage  of  men  of,  186  ; clan  exterminated, 
187  ; Prince  receives  Xavier,  228  ; Yashiki, 
o 33.8  . 

Sei-i-tai  Shogun,  title  of,  first  bestowed,  127  ; 

title  conferred  on  Iyeyasu,  211 
Seki  ga  Hara  (Moor  of  the  Barrier),  battle  at, 
202  ; piles  of  heads  buried  at,  209 
Sendai,  Bay  of,  5 ; Christianity  in,  267  ; 
persecution  in,  269 

Shimabara,  Christians  in,  270  ; siege  of,  271 ; 

fall  of,  272  ; earthquake  at,  310 
Shiinoda,  consul  appointed  at,  300  ; port  of, 
opened  to  foreign  trade,  300 
Shimonoseki,  Straits  of,  2 ; naval  engage- 
ment of  Taira  and  Minamoto,  121  ; Straits 
of,  key  to  the  Inland  Sea,  333  ; batteries 
fire  on  foreign  ships,  332  ; bombardment, 
334  ; opening  of,  to  foreign  ships,  335 ; 
indemnity  returned  by  U.S.A.  Govern- 
ment, 336 

Shinano,  Province  of,  309 
Shipbuilding,  Emperor  Jimmu  orders,  30 
Ships,  English,  Experhnent  and  Return, 
296  ; capture  of  Experiment , 296  ; Return 
ordered  to  leave,  296 

Shogun,  position  in  the  Empire  of,  136  ; 
Government  recognizes  impossibility  of 
resisting  foreigners,  300  ; government  of, 
described,  321  ; blamed  for  attacks  on 
foreigners,  334 ; takes  refuge  on  board 
American  ship,  339  ; escapes  to  Yedo,  339  ; 
retires  to  his  ancestral  home,  347 
Sho-Shi-Dai,  Shogun’s  representative  at 
Kioto,  322 

Shotoku-Daishi,  vide  Mumayado 
Sidotti,  Jesuit  priest,  274 
Spanish  galleon  takes  refuge  in  port  of  Tosa, 
244 ; treatment  of,  by  Japanese,  245  ; 
destruction  of  ship,  297 
Spinola,  Charles,  death  of,  265 
Succession  to  the  throne  of  Japan,  31 
Suiko,  Empress,  converted  to  Buddhism,  64 
Suinin,  Emperor,  orders  clay  images  to  be 
buried  in  place  of  living  retainers,  34  ; 
pious  rule  of,  34  ; contemplated  murder  of, 
35  ; death  of,  37 


408 


INDEX 


Sujin,  Emperor,  reputation,  29;  peace  and 
prosperity  during  reign,  30 
Sun  Goddess  born,  12  ; withdraws  herself  in 
anger,  15  ; commands  to  ancestor  of  the 
Nakatomi  family,  73  ; prayers  offered  to, 

o 150 

Sutras,  volumes  of,  sent  to  Japan,  61,  62 
T 

Tachibana,  Princess,  sacrifices  herself  to 
save  her  husband,  40 ; family  came  into 
existence,  84 

Taguchi  Shigeyoshi,  traitor  to  the  Taira 
family,  120 

Taiko,  title  assumed  by  Hideyoshi,  191 
Tai  Kun,  title  assumed  by  the  Shogun  in 
foreign  treaties,  316 

Taira,  the,  rise  of,  family,  86  ; revolts  against 
the  Throne,  87  ; Kiyomori,  head  of,  94  ; 
struggle  with  Minamoto,  107  ; retreat  of, 
107  ; advance  on  Kioto,  116;  fall  of,  122 
Tairo,  chief  elder  or  minister,  32c,  323 
Takachiho,  Mount,  21 

Takatoki,  last  of  the  Hoj6,  141  ; death  of,  146 
Takauji,  Ashikaga,  member  of  Minamoto 
family,  143 ; receives  confidence  of  the 
Emperor,  153 ; marches  on  Kioto,  154  ; 
traitorous  conduct,  143  and  154  ; power 
confirmed  at  Minatogawa,  210 
Takayama,  general  in  Nobunaga’s  army, 
179;  convert  to  Christianity,  234;  ordered 
to  recant  or  forfeit  his  property,  238 ; 
chooses  poverty,  238  ; death,  239 
Tama  gawa  aqueduct  constructed  by  Iye- 
mitsu,  304 

Tametomo,  famous  archer,  91,  92 
Tanegashima,  Island  of,  276 ; arrival  of 
Portuguese,  276 
Tango,  Province  of,  175 
Tatsuta  river,  67 
Taxes,  first  mention  of,  30 
Tenno,  meaning  of  the  word,  26,  136 
Tennoji,  Temple  of,  67 
Tidal  waves,  3 
Toji-in,  monastery  of,  162 
Tokimune,  one  of  the  Hojo,  repulses  in- 
vasion of  Kublai  Khan,  14 1 
Tokiwa,  mother  of  Yoshitomo’s  three  sons, 
98 ; story  of,  98  ; subject  for  paintings,  98 
Tokiyori,  one  of  the  three  Hojo  famous  for 
his  virtues,  140 

Tokugawa,  family  name  of  Iyeyasu,  207  ; 
government  of,  Shogun’s,  222 ; curious 
principle  of  government  respecting 
criminal  law,  273;  Shoguns  lapse  into 
idleness,  308  ; last,  310 
Tosa,  Prince,  prime  mover  in  overthrow  of 
the  Shoguns,  344  ; death  of,  345 
Trade  relations  with  foreigners  entered  into, 

325 

Treaty  negotiated  by  Perry,  vide  (Commo- 
dore) Perry  ; emperor’s  disapproval  of,  324 
Tribute  paid  to  China  by  Yoshimitsu,  161 
Tsunayoshi,  Shogun,  304  ; orders  protection 
of  dogs,  305 ; patron  of  art,  science  and 
literature,  306  ; death  of,  307 
Tsushima,  Island  of,  2 
Tsuye-dsuki-saka  (“  staff-lean  pass  ”),  42 


U 

Udaijin,  appointment  of,  134 
Uji,  original  unit  of  society  in  Japan,  84  ; 
known  as  “ Han,”  85 

Uji,  river,  scene  of  Yoshinaka’s  death,  113  ; 
reason  for  name,  113 

United  States,  opening  of  trade  between, 
and  Japan,  299 ; consul  resides  at  Shi- 
moda,  302 

Unsen,  description,  264;  hideous  persecu- 
tion of  Christians  at,  265 ; eruption  and 
earthquake  at,  310 

Urashima,  story  of,  Rip  van  Winkle  of 
Japan,  56 

Ushiwaka  (young  bull),  nickname  of  Yo- 
shitsune,  109 
Usui  Pass,  41 
Utsumi,  Bay  of  Owari,  93 
Uyeno,  battle  of,  347 

V 

Valignani,  Father,  accompanies  Japanese 
mission  to  the  Pope,  239 ; returns  to 
Japan,  239 

Volcanic  eruptions,  306,  309 
W 

Waka-Toshivort,  young  elders,  321 
Wousu,  Prince,  afterwards  called  Yamato 
Dak6,  38 

Writing,  the  art  of,  8,  9,  50 
X 

Xavier,  meeting  of,  with  wealthy  Japanese, 
227  ; lands  at  Kagoshima,  228  ; establishes 
mission  at  Hirado,  229  ; visits  Yamaguchi, 
229 ; journey  of,  to  Kioto  and  reception 
there,  229 ; death  of,  231 

Y 

Yamaguchi,  the  capital  of  Mori,  229  ; church 
founded,  231  ; residence  permitted  to  the 
Jesuits,  250 

Yamato,  early  importance  of,  27  ; authority 
of  emperors  over,  49 

Yamato  Dake,  Prince  Wousu  first  called, 
38  ; kills  his  elder  brother,  38  ; subdues 
the  Kumaso,  38  ; outlaw  slain  by,  39 ; 
expedition  to  the  East,  39  ; mourns  the 
death  of  his  wife,  41  ; death  of,  42 
Yamato  Hiko,  buried  with  all  his  retinue,  34 
Yamato  Hime,  guardian  priestess  of  the 
regalia,  3 

Yasutoki,  nephew  of  Masago,  138 
Yechizen,  monks  of  Hiyei  San  allowed  to 
retreat  to,  by  Nobunaga,  175 
Yedo,  Iyeyasu  makes,  his  capital,  207  ; 
glories  of  Kamakura  revived  in,  213  ; 
Christians  in,  255  ; persecution  of  Chris- 
tians at,  267  ; Dutch  ordered  to  make 
yearly  visit  to,  287  ; first  British  minister 
resides  at,  324  ; Emperor  Mutsuhito  and 
his  court  remove  to,  349  ; name  changed 
to  Tokio,  349 

Yemishi,  early  savage  inhabitants  of  Japan,  39 
Yodo  River,  other  name  of,  113 


INDEX 


40D 


Yokohama,  port  assigned  as  seat  of  foreign 
trade  and  residence,  325 
Yolsan,  Japanese  army  reduced  to  extremities 
in,  198 

Yezo,  Northern  Island  of  Japan,  position 
and  area  of,  1 

Yomei,  Emperor,  father  of  Mumayado  66  _ 
Yomi,  land  of  darkness,  entered  by  Izanagi, 
T4. 

Yonin,  business  men  of  Daimios,  344 
Yoritomo,  son  of  Yoshitomo,  95  ; life  of, 
spared  by  Kiyomori,  97 ; gathers  army 
together,  101  ; overpowered  at  Hakone 
Pass,  104  ; reported  death  of,  105  ; at  the 
battle  of  the  Fuji  river,  107  ; appoints 
Yoshitsune  to  command  of  army,  113 ; dis- 
trusts Yoshitsune,  123;  becomes  Sei-i-tai- 
Shogun,  127 ; death  of,  129 ; successors 
to,  131 

Yoriyoshi,  one  of  the  early  Minamoto,  39 ; 
long  campaign  of,  in  Mutsu,  89  ; character 
of,  90 

Yoshihira,  son  of  Yoshitomo,  95 
Yoshiiye,  son  of  Yoriyoshi,  89 
Yoshimitsu,  third  Ashikaga  Shogun,  char- 
acter of,  161  ; builds  the  Kinkakuji,  162 


Yoshimune,  chosen  as  Shogun,  307 
Yoshino,  refuge  of  Yoshitsune,  124;  and  of 
Emperor  Go  Daigo,  124 
Yoshisada  (Nitta),  vide  Nitta 
Yoshitomo,  grandson  of  Yoshiiye,  90;  kills 
his  father  and  brothers,  91  ; becomes  a 
rebel,  92  ; kills  his  son,  93  ; death  of,  23 
Yoshitsune,  joins  Yoritomo,  108  ; early  life  of, 
109 ; escape  of,  from  monastery  to  Mutsu, 
109 ; conquers  the  Taira  at  Dan  no 
Ura,  121 ; brother’s  jealousy  aroused  and 
sentence  of  outlawry  pronounced  against, 
124  ; death  of,  125  ; story  of  mistress  of, 
12  5 

Yuigon,”  vide  Legacy  of  Iyeyasu 
Yukinagi  (Konisha),  Christian  general,  com- 
mands the  first  army  of  Hideyoshi  in 
Korea,  191  ; tries  to  show  mercy  in  war, 
193  ; remains  in  Korea,  and  urges  embassy 
be  sent  to  Japan  to  treat  for  peace,  194  ; 
fights  against  Iyeyasu,  209  ; death  of,  210 

Z 

Zenkoji,  Temple  of,  64 
Zipangu  (Japan),  27 


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